The First Christmas After the Great Thaw
by SawuScimitar74
Summary: It's the first Christmas season after the Great Thaw. A few royal guests decide to spend the holidays with the royal family in Arendelle.
1. Chapter 1

**Since Frozen is my favorite Disney movie, I decided to write a fanfic about it! This fanfic takes place during the first Christmas season after the Great Thaw and was inspired by the following fanfics:** _ **Songs of Ice and Snow**_ **by** _ **thefireplanet**_ **,** _**Singed**_ **by** _ **TheStanfordExperiment**_ **,** _**Christmas in Arendelle**_ **by** _ **TwistedTelepath**_ **,** _ **Frozen: The Snow Queen**_ **by** _ **Halm Vendrella**_ **, and** _ **Coping**_ **by** _ **ATHPluver**_ **. Be sure to check those fanfics out!**

 **I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney.**

 **Chapter 1**

The townspeople of Arendelle were abuzz on an overcast, snowy early December day. Everyone was talking in the icy streets, caroling, ringing bells, decorating the town and buying presents in the stores and shops.

Ever since the "frozen summer" that took place almost five months prior, the townspeople had come to realize just how beautiful winter could be, as it reminded them of their fair, wise, and just ruler, Queen Elsa. Compared to previous winters, this winter had been significantly less extreme; there was only the occasional snowstorm, blizzard, or cold snap.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Meanwhile, inside the castle, Elsa was sleeping peacefully, breathing slowly and silently. Before her coronation, she hardly slept well due to being afraid of her powers and hurting others with them. She would have recurring nightmares about freezing her sister on accident when they were little girls, or the death of her parents King Agnarr and Queen Iduna three years before her coronation. Those were two of the saddest memories Elsa had in her life, and no matter how hard she tried to forget them, they would always continue to come back and haunt her. The Snow Queen spent a huge chunk of her time in her room, and that made Elsa feel like her own bedroom was a dungeon.

After she freed the kingdom from the "frozen summer" however, everything was different. Elsa, like almost everyone else, found her chambers to be a place to relax and find consolation. The occurrence of nightmares had greatly diminished, and she learned how to forget those horrible moments and move forward. Now that the Snow Queen was in full control of her powers and her bond with her sister had been restored, she no longer needed to worry about hurting Anna or anyone else with her cryokinesis. Following thirteen rough years in isolation, she was now sleeping much more tranquilly, and had an entirely different outlook on life.

Her room was rather modest for a queen. Other than the large window next to her bed, there was a bathroom across from the entrance to her room, a wardrobe with a huge mirror next to it, and a few designs and sculptures she had used her powers to create dangling around her bedroom. There was a nightstand on the other side of her bed with a clock and candelabra. In the center of her room, hanging from the ceiling, was a large chandelier with at least a dozen candles. On the walls were a few paintings and tapestries, and a candle on each side of the door leading outside of her room. Despite the humble appearance of her room, Elsa didn't mind at all.

Elsa slowly opened her icy blue eyes, rising from her bed and walking over to the large window by her bed. She marveled at the sight before her.

Snow blanketed the ground, trees, and mountains in the distance. Dark gray clouds completely enveloped the sky, and flurries fell delicately past the frosty window. What she noticed the most, however, was the fjord. It wasn't frozen over. Elsa couldn't remember a single winter before being shut out that the fjord did not freeze over. Usually, the fjord wouldn't ice over completely. Yes, winters in Arendelle were cold and had frequent heavy snowfall, but they rarely got cold enough for the fjord to freeze up under normal circumstances. It was a rather serene scene compared to the eternal winter she inadvertently caused in July. Smiling fondly, the Ice Queen realized that this wasn't as a result of her magic. Winter was nearing, as was Christmas. Elsa was looking forward to spending the holidays with Anna for the first time in over a decade.

As she continued to observe the outside scene, Anna barged into her room without warning, not even bothering to knock.

"Good morning Elsa! Can you believe it's almost Christmas already? Breakfast is almost ready!" Her younger sister's voice was vigorous as always.

"Anna, don't you know how to knock?" Elsa asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry. I'm so excited! I just can't wait to know when the guests are going to begin coming and whether we will start decorating the castle today or sometime in the next few days! Christmas will be here before we know it! Oh, and will there be a lot of chocolate at the ball?"

The Snow Queen couldn't help but smile with amusement at her sister's rambling. She brushed a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.

"We will begin to decorate the castle after our guests arrive. I was also planning on holding a holiday festival for the townspeople two days before Christmas. It wouldn't make much sense to not decorate the castle when we will also have a festival in the town the day before Christmas Eve. I'm sure the town will be tastefully decorated. As for the guests, the first guests should be arriving shortly before noon. They are from England and from the Belgian kingdom of Ostenda. I'm really hoping that none of them have atrocious plans for us."

Anna remembered what happened nearly five months ago and frowned at the memory.

"I agree. The last thing we need is to go through that again. I guess we'll find out in a few hours, now won't we?"

Elsa nodded. "Yes, I suppose we will. Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to get ready for their arrival. You should too."

Anna groaned, but nodded, nonetheless. "Okay. I'd like to have breakfast as soon as possible. We could really use the energy today."

"You are right about that Anna. Today is a big day. I'll meet you in the dining room after I get dressed. After you're dressed, you can go get Kristoff if you like."

Anna felt butterflies forming in her stomach as she beamed and nodded. "Yes, I'd like that a lot."

After bidding her older sister farewell, Anna immediately went back to her bedroom to get dressed. Once she was finished, the princess went to where she presumed Kristoff and Sven would be: the palace stables. He visited his reindeer pal every morning, and they would share their favorite food, carrots for breakfast. Despite having stayed with her and her sister for a little more than four months now, and the upgrades that came with it, Kristoff had not changed even the slightest bit. Anna deeply appreciated the ice harvester for that.

Sure enough, Kristoff and Sven were both in the stables, consuming carrots. Anna took a deep breath to calm herself down. Once she was sure she could speak to him without having a heart attack, she walked up to the two with a smile.

"Morning, Kristoff," she greeted. "Anything going on down here?"

"Oh, nothing really. Just having some carrots with Sven. Has anything happened in the castle as of late?"

"Nothing that you need to be alarmed about," Anna replied, giggling.

Kristoff smirked. "Good. What brings you down here Anna?"

She blushed a little bit. "I wanted to see you, and also ask if you would like to meet the guests from England and Ostenda a little bit before noon."

The ice harvester placed two fingers on his chin in consideration.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Yeah, sure thing, Anna. The more guests, the merrier. Am I right?" he said.

She nodded. "Okay great! I will let Elsa know then. See you in a little while." The princess walked over to Kristoff and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Kristoff was shocked and in a loving daze as Anna smiled at him and made her way back up the stairs.

After she left, Kristoff blushed.

Sven gave a happy snort.

"Are you happy to have Anna in your life?" Kristoff spoke for him.

"Of course, I am, Sven. Without her, we wouldn't have all the carrots we can eat, nor would we have that amazing sled she gave me after her sister unfroze the kingdom. Life would not be the same without Anna."

"Then when are you going to ask her to marry you?"

Kristoff scowled. "Look, Sven. I don't want to end up making the same mistake that scoundrel did to Anna over four months ago. Asking for someone's hand in marriage the day you meet them? That's messed up. I'd rather we take our time with our relationship. Sure, it's been four months since I met her, but I would only like to propose to Anna when she's ready. It might take years for her to be ready. Until then, I will take it slow. I can assure you, Sven, that when the time is right, I will ask her."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Elsa, Anna, and a now well-dressed and groomed Kristoff came by the castle entrance shortly before noon. After the sisters had breakfast, the Ice Queen decided it would be best to put on her gloves. While Arendelle now adored Elsa's ice and snow powers, she preferred not putting her new guests at risk of being frozen. She wanted to make sure the guests had as warm a welcome as possible, just as her parents had done when she was a little girl. That was before the gates were closed, of course.

"Your Majesty, shall we open the doors?" one of Arendelle's guards asked.

She glimpsed at Anna and Kristoff, who nodded in response. "Yes, you may open the doors," Elsa said.

The guards nodded before helping other guards open the doors. Once the doors were open, four different guards with red outfits, black pants, black hats, and muskets marched in, surrounding two figures that were in between them. Once they were inside, the two guards in the front subsequently slid out of the way, revealing two men of roughly the same height.

The first man, who Elsa presumed was the prince, was strikingly handsome. Based on his face, the prince looked like he was younger than her or Anna. The man had a clean-shaven face, fair skin, icy blue eyes, and short, well-kept black hair. In addition to his charming looks, he was also exceptionally muscular, perhaps even more so than Kristoff. His outfit consisted of a dark blue royal jacket, gray pants, nigrine boots, and a golden belt. What made Elsa feel frivolous, however, was the fact that she was wearing a crown and he wasn't. She hastily felt her crown move, and it was in her handmaiden's possession. While it did startle her a little bit, she kept her cool and nodded thankfully.

The man next to him was also very handsome and muscular. However, he was an older gentleman. Maybe in his forties? Unlike the other man, this man was wearing an emerald royal jacket, violet pants, brown boots, and a silver belt. His hair was brown, with just a hint of grey on the edges, while his eyes were green.

"Presenting His Royal Highness, Prince Edmund of England, accompanied by his personal instructor, Sir Stephen White," the Captain of the Guards of England announced in a thundering voice that ricocheted across the room. Both men bowed respectfully. In response, Elsa and Anna curtseyed, while Kristoff bowed.

"Her Majesty, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle, accompanied by Sir Kristoff," Kai announced. Elsa heard her sister suppress a giggle. The Ice Queen let out a hushed sigh.

"It is an honor to be here in your kingdom, Your Majesty. I would like to formally thank you for inviting me and my master to spend Christmas with you," Edmund said as he extended his hand toward Elsa. She grinned and gave him her hand, shaking it gracefully.

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness," Elsa replied. She imagined how many times formal titles would be used over the next few days or so.

"If it makes everything easier for you, you may call me Edmund, or Ed for short," the English prince stated.

"As for me, please call me Stephen, or just Steph," Stephen replied.

"Then you may both call me Elsa," Elsa said as she let go of Edmund's hand and shook Stephen's hand.

"Edmund and Stephen, I would like to introduce you to my sister Anna and our good friend Kristoff," Elsa said.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Anna and Sir Kristoff," Edmund and Stephen greeted them and shook their hands with grace.

Once everyone was done greeting each other, Anna was to hand room keys to their guests of certain guestrooms they would be staying in.

"Edmund and Stephen, you will both be staying in our finest suite in the northeastern wing. You will find the northeastern wing to your right. We will have the castle staff take care of your luggage," the princess explained with a smile as she handed the room key to Edmund.

"Thank you, Princess Anna," the English prince said with a grin of his own.

"You're welcome. Please just call me Anna."

"Will do," Both Edmund and Stephen replied simultaneously as they beamed and made their way toward their room.

Elsa thought about the two men for a few moments. They both seemed like very nice gentlemen. However, the Ice Queen knew that she had just met them. Thus, she didn't know whether they genuinely were good men, or were instead truly evil on the inside. Both men may have been good-looking, but after what happened in July, Elsa knew that there were much more than just good looks with anyone. She also thought about Edmund calling Stephen his master. Although she assumed that Stephen was being a good master to Edmund, Elsa couldn't help but wonder about something. Was he a good master, or was he some master with an evil sidekick?

The Snow Queen was snapped from her thoughts when she heard Kai clear his throat.

"Your Majesty, we have one more guest arriving today."

Elsa nodded. "Then we shall open the doors and let him in." She had forgotten that after Edmund, Stephen, and the English guards were inside, the Arendelle guards had closed the doors to prevent too much warm air from escaping.

"Yes, Your Majesty," a guard replied as the doors were opened once again.

The Belgian guards that marched in were somewhat different than the guards that surrounded Edmund and Stephen. Their outfits consisted of dark blue jackets, black pants with red streaks, and black hats with something red on them. A major difference Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff noticed were their weapons. Instead of muskets, their weapons consisted of sabers. Only one figure stood in between them, unlike the English guards. The guards in front moved out of the way to unveil a man that was taller than both Edmund and Stephen.

Like the English prince and his master, this man was exceptionally muscular and stunningly handsome. The man appeared to be roughly the same age as Elsa and Kristoff, give or take a year. He had a clean-shaven face, fair skin, sparkling golden eyes, and short, well-groomed dirty blonde hair. His clothing was a bright red royal jacket, black pants with the same red streak as the guards, gray boots, and a copper belt. Like Edmund and Stephen, he was without a crown. Elsa was thankful that her crown was still in the grasp of her handmaiden.

Kristoff's eyes widened slightly as he took in the man's appearance. He was even taller than he was. Anna giggled silently at his reaction.

"Presenting His Royal Highness, Prince Lucas of Ostenda," the Belgian kingdom's Captain of the Guards promulgated in a similarly voice as the other captain that boomeranged across the room. The Belgian prince bowed reverentially. Subsequently, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff repeated what they did to the English prince and his master.

"Her Majesty, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna of Arendelle, accompanied by Sir Kristoff," Kai announced once more.

"I would like to personally thank you for inviting me to stay in your palace for the holidays this year, Your Majesty. I'm excited to see what Christmas has in store for us this year. I look forward to seeing what your kingdom has to offer," Lucas said rather quickly as he lifted his hand towards Elsa.

The Ice Queen was a little bit stunned at how fast the Belgian prince talked. Nonetheless, she knew that it would be disrespectful to say anything about that to him. Thus, she mustered the best smile she could and took his hand, shaking it exquisitely. His hands were bigger than either Edmund's or Stephen's hands.

"The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness," Elsa said.

"In order to not overburden you with formalities, I would not mind if you call me Lucas, or simply Luc for short," Lucas stated.

"In return, you may call me Elsa," the ice queen responded.

After the two let go, Elsa said, "Lucas, this is my sister Princess Anna, along with our good friend Kristoff."

The Belgian prince smiled as he held his hand out to Anna. "It is very nice to meet you Princess Anna."

"It's nice to meet you too Lucas," the princess then handed Lucas his room key, slightly astonished at how tall he was. "Here is your key to the finest suite in the southeastern wing. The wing will be found to your left. Your luggage will be taken care of by the castle staff."

"I appreciate it, Princess Anna."

"You're welcome. You may call me Anna."

"That is certainly something I can do," Lucas winked as he made his way toward his room.

Once the Belgian prince was out of sight, Elsa thought of him. Lucas, like the other two men, seemed to be a nice guy. All of them were polite and appreciative of their invitations to Arendelle. Thus far, the Ice Queen had positive thoughts on all three gentlemen. She knew, however, that it was still a bit premature to assume that they were good men. The last thing she wanted to do was jump to conclusions when she knew nothing about the three men. Elsa decided that it would be best for her, Anna, and Kristoff to take their time and find out whether they were being sincere or ostensible.


	2. Chapter 2

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney.**

 **Chapter 2**

Once introductions had concluded, Elsa was now attempting to figure out all the knowledge she had of both England and Ostenda. The Ice Queen would prefer not constantly asking the guests questions about their home countries.

According to the information that was bestowed upon her, Elsa learned that the capital and largest city of England was London. London was one of the largest cities in the world and was where Edmund and Stephen resided. Summers there were warm, while winters were cool, but not overly cold. While precipitation was generally spread out evenly through the year, London did not receive nearly as much winter snowfall as Arendelle.

Edmund's father was King Matthew of England, and the royal family of England was exceptionally wealthy; the King of England was one of the richest men in the world. However, Matthew and Stephen were originally from Ireland. He had met Stephen when they were young boys and had been best friends with him since. After living as a prince in Ireland for the first twenty years of his life, Matthew was involved in an arranged marriage with English Princess Isabella Brown. The Snow Queen couldn't help but cringe at the thought of an arranged marriage. Did their marriage end up working out for them?

Meanwhile, the Ice Queen unearthed information about Ostenda as well. The Belgian kingdom was much smaller than London. It was a small town located on the western side of Belgium, along the coast. Like the English kingdom, Ostenda had warm summers and cool winters. However, the Belgian kingdom got a little more rain and snow than London did. Still, Ostenda did not receive as much snow as Arendelle did.

The parents of Lucas were King Arthur and Queen Victoria. Although the royal family of Ostenda was wealthy, they weren't as wealthy as the royal family of England. Elsa assumed this was because of the large difference in size of the kingdoms. Unlike King Matthew of England, King Arthur was not involved in an arranged marriage. He married Queen Victoria Jacobs for love and Lucas was their only child. The Ice Queen was happy that the Belgian royal couple was able to marry for love. Elsa hoped that if she ever married it would be for love and not power.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Elsa was in her study, slowly sipping on a steaming cup of tea. There was a knock on the door. She turned her head to see who it was.

It was Edmund. The Snow Queen was surprised to see the English prince. She wondered what he was up to.

"Good afternoon, Elsa. I sincerely apologize if you feel like I'm intruding upon anything you might be doing now," Edmund said.

"No, it's okay. Please sit down," Elsa replied as she offered the English prince to take a seat in a chair across from the table that she was sitting at.

"Thank you," the English prince smiled.

"You're welcome," the Snow Queen grinned in return. "What brings you here Edmund?"

Ed shrugged. "Since I'm staying in your kingdom, I figured it would only be fitting that we got to know each other better."

Elsa raised an eyebrow, contemplating what she should ask Edmund first. "Okay. What do you think of Arendelle? Are you enjoying your stay here thus far?"

Ed nodded. "I may have only been here for a few hours, but I am indeed enjoying my stay here. One thing I have to say is the castle staff are very nice. They offered me some chocolate, and I could not turn it down."

"How was it?"

The English prince smiled. "Although I do not eat chocolate very often, it was some of the best chocolate I have ever had."

Elsa smiled fondly. "Glad to hear that. I love chocolate. It's my favorite sweet treat, along with my sister."

"Ah, yes. Your sister Anna. She's a very nice young woman," Edmund said. "You're a pretty sweet woman yourself."

Elsa was pleasantly surprised by the compliment. "Well I try. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The Snow Queen was really liking her conversation with the English prince so far. Nevertheless, there were a few more questions she wanted to ask him.

"What's it like in England, Edmund?" she wondered.

"Have you ever been there before?" he asked, eyebrows rising with curiosity.

"I think my family and I went there a long time ago, but I don't really remember it. Other than that, I really haven't set foot outside of Arendelle."

"England is a beautiful country," the English prince said. "The city of London is a huge city, with a lot to do and so much good food to eat. Everyone there is very benevolent and altruistic, especially my father. While my father is fabulously wealthy, he and I don't let our social status determine who we are. His affluence is such that he doesn't have any idea what to do with all the money he has. Thus, we really like to donate some of his money to help out the less fortunate in London."

Elsa smiled upon learning about London's eudaemonia under Matthew's kingship. "I'm very happy to hear that your father does that for his kingdom. His name is Matthew, right?"

"That is correct."

"What do you think of him as a father?"

Edmund had to think of how to explain it. "I consider myself very lucky to have a father like him. He cares very deeply about me, Stephen, and making sure the kingdom is running smoothly. My father says that even if he wasn't a king, he would still be the same person," he smiled.

"Sounds like a loving and nurturing father," the Snow Queen responded. "What about your master Stephen? What's he like?"

"Steph is a tough, yet very encouraging mentor. He and my father have been best friends since they first met in Ireland when they were young. My master is always pushing me to the limit and inspiring me to get better every day."

"I'm delighted to hear that Steph is a good master. What does he train you in?" Elsa wondered.

"He trains me in a lot of things. Strength, dexterity, endurance, fighting styles, weapons, you name it. The reason for this is he, my father and I would like to stay in excellent shape for as long as we can and defend ourselves in case something happens in the castle back home," Edmund explained.

"That's pretty interesting. What do you like to do for fun? You know, when you're not training?"

"During my spare time, I like to explore and go on adventures with my father and master. I also like to play piano, read a good book, and play chess," the English prince smiled.

The Snow Queen grinned. "Those all sound like fun activities. If I may ask, how long do you train every day?"

"When I was a boy, I used to develop my skills for long hours every day. Even though it did a great job at sharpening my proficiency, my master eventually found a way to keep improving my skills while being more efficient with time. In recent years, I only need to spend a couple of hours training each day."

"Wasn't it rough for you training long hours daily when you were a young boy?"

Ed shrugged. "Honestly, it really wasn't too bad since I made sure to do everything correctly to avoid getting injured. In addition to that, my father and master have always made sure to feed me well. Eating a lot is essential for me, as it helps me have the energy needed to handle the grind that comes with the training,

"That's good to hear."

"I agree. How about you Elsa? What do you enjoy doing for fun?"

"I like to spend time with my sister. Anna and I spend much of our time together. We're very close," the Ice Queen stated with a softened expression. She wondered whether she should tell the English prince about their somber backstory or not. Elsa decided against it, however. At least for now. She decided to tell him when the right time came.

"Spoken like an older sibling who serves as a good role model. I've unfortunately never experienced anything like that, being an only child myself."

"I appreciate how polite you have been so far, Edmund," Elsa smiled. She had very encouraging thoughts about Edmund so far. Although she knew it was still a bit early to tell whether he was faking it or not, at least he seemed to be much better than Hans.

"Thank you, Elsa. I try," Ed beamed. "What else would you like to talk about?"

OoOoOoOoOoO

Lucas was wandering around the castle, fascinated at how nice it was. The castle staff were decorating everything he walked by, from the small tables, to the candles, the models of armor, and to the Christmas trees that were scattered about.

As he turned a corner, he almost ran right into Anna. He managed to stop himself at the last second.

"Whoa! I sincerely apologize for that, Anna. Maybe I should pay more attention to where I'm going."

"Ah, it's okay, Lucas," the princess smiled. "What are you up to right now?"

The Belgian prince grinned. "I was just looking around the castle, and I really like what I've seen thus far. Since I haven't been here before, I was wondering if you could give me a tour of the palace? That is, if you're okay with that. I mean, you don't have to if you would prefer not to."

Anna couldn't help but giggle at Luc's rambling. "Sure! I can do that!"

"I appreciate it," Luc replied with approval.

"No problem!" The princess studied him for a few seconds as they began to walk around the hallways. "If I may ask, how tall are you Luc? Seven feet?"

"Not quite, Anna. To be precise, I am five inches short of being seven feet tall."

"Okay. I just noticed that you are taller than Kristoff."

"Kristoff? He seems to be a nice fellow. Doesn't seem to be much of a talker though. I apologize in advance if I'm sounding impolite, but he has implied that he's a quiet type of person."

"No that's okay. You're not sounding rude at all! He is a very good man once you get to know him. Kristoff just isn't used to being around a large crowd of people."

"I'm happy to hear that. He seems to care very deeply about you," Luc beamed.

"Yeah. We're very close friends," she responded, deciding to leave out the part where they kissed a few times. "Anyway, what do you like to do for fun?"

"That is a very good question. I have many hobbies, more than I could count. To name a few that I really enjoy, I really love fencing, reading books, and playing chess."

"Those sound like fun! What is fencing? Do you climb fences or something?"

"Fencing is actually quite different than what you might be thinking. It is a combat sport that involves fighting with swords with a set of rules. In Ostenda, we use sabers as our swords, whether it's the guards, soldiers, or anyone who trains others how to use them," Luc explained.

"You don't get hurt in fencing, do you?" Anna wondered, somewhat worried.

"Oh no. I can assure you that no one gets hurt as long as you do it correctly. When fencing, we have to wear armor to protect ourselves."

"That's good!"

"I agree. What about you Anna? Is there anything you enjoy doing for fun?"

"Oh yes! I like to spend time with my sister and Kristoff."

Lucas smiled. "Your sister seems to be a very good role model. As an only child, I have never known what it's like to have a sibling."

"Elsa is a good role model. I am very lucky to have her as my big sister."

"Sounds like you two get along very well."

Anna nodded. "Yes, we do."

"It pleases me to hear that."

"You seem like a very nice guy Lucas."

"I try to be the best person I can be," he winked, which made Anna giggle. "Anyway, the castle wouldn't happen to have a library, would it? I'd like to read some books here and learn more about your kingdom."

"We do have a library! This way!" Anna squealed.

The Belgian prince really had a liking for Anna's optimism, cheerfulness and alacrity. Smiling, he followed the princess to the library as she led the way.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Following his conversation with Elsa, the English prince was now roaming around the castle. He had nothing but praise about the Queen of Arendelle so far. Not only did he admire her pulchritude, Edmund also lauded the Snow Queen for her gentle, sweet, and wise personality. Additionally, her sister was friendly and charming. Edmund was glad to be spending the holidays in a kingdom with likable, graceful rulers.

Ed turned a corner. Along the way, he had traveled through many hallways, passing by doors, Christmas trees and decorations, windows, tables with candelabras, chairs, benches, candles on the walls, chandeliers on the ceilings, tapestries, models of armor, and paintings on the walls. Since he had already done his training that morning, Stephen allowed him to explore the castle and see what he could find.

Just then, he noticed a large room with a multitude of bookshelves loaded with books. Deciding to find what kind of interesting books the castle had, he walked into the library. At the end of the library, he noticed a man with dirty-blonde hair reading a tome about Arendelle's history. He narrowed his eyes to get a closer look at him. This man looked familiar. The English prince remembered that one of his closest friends from his childhood had dirty-blonde hair. Could that be him? He did not know; nevertheless, Edmund was determined to see whether it was his friend or not.

"Excuse me? I apologize for disturbing you, but you look familiar," Edmund said.

Lucas looked up, placing the tome he was reading on a nearby table. "Have we met before?"

"I think we have. Many years ago."

The Belgian prince eyed the black-haired man suspiciously and studied him. "You look like I've seen you before. What is your name?"

"I am Prince Edmund of England," the English prince greeted as he held out his hand.

Lucas stood up and accepted Ed's hand. "Prince Lucas of Ostenda."

After the two men greeted each other, they stared at each other with widened eyes. Was it true? Had they finally reunited after having not seen each other in a long time?

"Is it?" Edmund choked.

Lucas smiled, nodded his head. "Indeed, it is."

The two princes then hugged each other in a tight embrace, jubilant to see each other again.

"After all these years, it is great to see you Lucas!" Edmund exclaimed cheerfully.

"Likewise, Edmund. We haven't seen each other for what? Fourteen years?" Lucas responded.

After the two let go, Edmund realized that they might have been speaking a little bit too loud inside a library. Thus, he decided to quiet down.

"Maybe we should lower our voices since we're inside a library," Ed suggested.

Luc nodded as he lowered his voice. "I think we should. After all, we may be the only ones in here right now, but a library is not the best place to shout or anything like that. I'm sure that if Elsa and Anna were in here and they heard us yelling, they'd probably get upset."

"Agreed. What do you think of Arendelle, Luc?"

"I really like it so far. While it may be a little cold outside, the atmosphere is warm."

"Totally with you on that."

"Since we haven't seen each other after all this time, I assume we have a lot of questions to ask each other?" Lucas asked.

"That we do Lucas," Ed replied.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Everyone was gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Elsa sat elegantly at the beginning of the long table, having removed her gloves. Anna was to her right, doing a miniature swordfight with her spoon and fork. Edmund was sitting to the Snow Queen's left, while Stephen sat beside the English prince, and Lucas sat adjacent to Steph. All three men were sitting regally, patiently waiting for dinner to be served. Kristoff was sitting next to Anna. It felt kind of awkward for him to be around the guests, especially since they appeared to be much stronger than him. Nonetheless, the ice harvester managed a small smile. Elsa had chosen to serve everyone water to drink, since she wanted to set a good example and compensate for the long years she shut out her baby sister. She also felt that it was inappropriate for an eighteen-year-old princess to be consuming alcohol.

Elsa raised her glass. "I would like to make a toast to our guests from England and Ostenda and thank our cooks for the fine food."

"In honor of England, I would like to formally thank Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, and Sir Kristoff for their warm welcome and for allowing me and Master Stephen to spend Christmas here in Arendelle," Edmund announced with a raised glass.

"Likewise. Edmund and I have never had such a warm welcome to another's kingdom, and I greatly appreciate that," Stephen added in.

Kristoff cringed a little bit after their announcements. He didn't really say anything to them when they were greeting each other. All he did was shake the guests' hands.

Lucas lifted his glass up. "In honor of Ostenda, I thank Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Sir Kristoff, and the entire castle staff for their great hospitality and affability. I am truly grateful to be spending my Christmas in Arendelle."

Elsa smiled. She was pleased to hear that all three men were appreciative of their invitations. It was still early, but these three men were already considerably better than Hans. The Snow Queen just hoped that none of them were hiding any diabolical intentions on the inside.

Soon dinner was served. After the servers brought out the food and placed it on the table, everyone began to eat.

As they ate, the doors opened, and the three guests peered over their dinner to see who was there upon hearing a silly giggle. Their eyes widened with surprise when they saw a snowman walk inside.

"Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" the snowman said gleefully.

"Hey Olaf! Do join us!" Anna said as she grabbed a little chair in the corner of the room that was meant for the snowman and set it next to Kristoff.

"Okay!" Olaf exulted as he accepted his seat.

"Did you do anything fun today, Olaf?" The princess wondered.

"I played with the kids in the town. We did a lot of snowball fights until all the kids decided to go back inside their houses to get warmed up," Olaf rambled.

"Is my vision blurred, or is that a talking snowman?" Lucas wondered.

"Yes, it's a talking snowman," Anna confirmed.

"I've never seen anything like that before," Edmund admitted.

"Neither have I," Stephen added.

Elsa debated on whether to reveal the truth about Olaf or not. She figured, however, that she would have to let them know eventually. Thus, she decided to risk the three men finding out about her powers in order to get it over with.

"Olaf is a snowman that I created with my powers, who was brought to life," Elsa explained.

The three men gazed at her in shock and asked her simultaneously, "You have powers?"

"Indeed, I do. Should you ask for proof I will show you after dinner, gentlemen."

"Your powers won't hurt us, will they?" Lucas asked, concern in his voice.

The Snow Queen shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile. "I can assure you that I will not harm any of you with my powers."

"Glad to hear it," Luc grinned, though he was still wary about whether Elsa's powers would hurt him or not.

After everyone had finished their dinner, Elsa was true to her word on showing the three guests her powers. She flicked her wrist, sending a wind gust towards the doors, closing both. Turning her gaze towards the ceiling, she shot a blast there. Fog formed, and snow flurries fell on the three men. They were no longer shocked. Instead, they were now thunderstruck at the sight before them.

"Magnificent," Edmund chortled with a gleeful smile on his face.

"Indeed," Stephen nodded with approval.

"Wow! This is simply marvelous Elsa!" Lucas bubbled.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Elsa smiled as she thrust her hand across her, closing around her wrist. She did this to cease the snowfall and avoid filling up the Great Hall with it.

"You're welcome!" the three men replied.

A few moments later, dessert was served. While the royal family of Arendelle had chocolate cake, the three men, to everyone's bewilderment, respectfully turned it down and requested to have mixed berry smoothies and fruit salads instead.

"You guys really like to eat healthy, don't you?" Anna wondered.

"We certainly do. One of the keys to a long life is a healthy diet," Ed explained.

"I'm sure that the chocolate cake is divine. That is something I will consider having tomorrow. It's just that Edmund and I only have sweets once in a while, and the voyage here took eleven days," Steph said.

"I agree with Stephen. That chocolate cake is so tempting, and I do regret turning it down. Nonetheless, my parents told me it is wise to have something healthy after a long voyage," Lucas stated.

"Oh okay. No worries, guys!" Anna exclaimed. "I accept your reasons."

"Thank you for your understanding Anna. Hear me out though. I will have some chocolate cake tomorrow after dinner," Edmund assured.

Anna lifted her chin slightly as she looked at Edmund. "I shall hold you to that," she replied with a smile, then turned to look at the other two men with a twinkle in her eyes. "All of you."

Stephen grinned back and acknowledged her command with a quick nod, while Lucas flashed a thumbs up to ensure her that he would indeed try the cake. Satisfied that the issue of the chocolate cake was decided, Anna smoothed her dress and considered the situation. The princess realized that she hadn't talked to Edmund about his interests yet.

Before she could ask the English prince anything, Olaf chirped out, "Hey! Look out the window guys! See all that snow?"

The three men obeyed the snowman and scrutinized the scene outside.

"You're right Olaf. It sure is snowing hard out there. I cannot see anything," Edmund agreed.

"I'll say," Stephen added in agreement.

"I have never seen that much snow at once," Lucas stated. "We do get snow in Ostenda, but I've never seen it snow like this."

After finishing dessert and talking for a little while longer, the three guests bid everyone goodnight and left the room. Olaf did the same shortly after, leaving only Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff.

"Hey Kristoff? What do you think of our guests?" Anna wondered.

"They seem nice, I guess. We barely know them, so I can't say for sure whether I can trust them or not," Kristoff said.

"What makes you say you can't trust them Kristoff?" the princess asked.

"Do you remember the questions I asked you about Hans when we first met?"

Anna nodded.

"I think I would like to ask them those same questions. After Hans attempted to kill you and Elsa, I would like to know for sure that the guests are not anything like him," Kristoff stated with a now serious look on his face.

"Kristoff, I can assure you that none of those men are like Hans," Elsa tried to persuade Kristoff.

The ice harvester however, remained solemn. "Which is why I will ask them those questions to make sure they don't have any intent like him."

As Kristoff began to make his way out of the room, Anna grabbed his arm. "Kristoff, wait!"

The ice harvester's serious look didn't recede even the slightest bit. "Anna, listen. I'm just trying to protect you and your sister. The last thing I would like to see happen is you two in danger."

"Those men aren't dangerous, Kristoff," Anna tried to reason with him.

Kristoff, however, remained stubborn. "Well, there's only one way to find out."

He subsequently left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**I am flattered by the response the story is receiving! Thank you very much to my amazing readers!**

 **I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney.**

 **Chapter 3**

Kristoff was walking through the decorated castle hallways, searching for the three guests. Outside, the sky was tenebrous, without any hint of moonlight. Clouds continued to enshroud the sky, and the heavy snow did not show any signs of coming to an end anytime soon.

The candles on the chandeliers and candelabras had been lit, providing both light and warmth inside the castle.

Kristoff was clutching a candlestick as he walked through the hallways. He eventually heard voices ahead and realized that he had wandered into the northeastern wing of the castle, where Edmund and Stephen had their guestroom. Thinking he recognized the voices, he turned down one hallway following the sounds until he discovered the two men, along with Lucas, conversing in a sitting room about their stay in Arendelle.

The ice harvester hesitated as he was still uncomfortable with the new company. Regardless, he worked up the courage and decided to approach the sitting room. Reaching the doorway, he stood there for a few seconds before Edmund noticed him.

"Ah, Sir Kristoff. Do come join us, we were just discussing the fine kingdom of Arendelle," the English prince invited him in. "How are you doing this fine evening?"

"I'm doing fine," Kristoff replied as he set his candlestick on a nearby table and sat down at the table where the three men were gathered around.

"We were just discussing how lovely this country is," Stephen said.

"It is beautiful," Kristoff agreed. His face clouded over as he recalled the recent events. "Are any of you aware of what Prince Hans of the Southern Isles did here in Arendelle?" Scorn tinged his voice as he asked this question.

"I have never heard of him. Based on how you said it, that man sounds like trouble," Lucas said.

"Oh, him being trouble is an understatement. He tried to take over Arendelle, and in the process nearly killed Anna and Elsa," Kristoff explained and quickly filled the men in on the events that had transpired.

All three men stared in shock and disbelief as Kristoff finished his story.

"Prince Hans tried to kill Queen Elsa and Princess Anna? That's outrageous! I could never imagine doing anything like that!" Edmund fumed.

"Me neither. Attempting to take over a kingdom and trying to murder two innocent women? It makes me furious that scumbag did such egregious deeds!" Lucas hissed.

"If I ever encounter that varlet, I have a fist that would like to meet his face," Stephen stated with a look of disapproval.

"Not only that, he also asked Anna to marry him the day he met her," Kristoff rasped.

"Getting engaged to someone you just met that day? That's ludicrous. I would prefer knowing someone for a while before asking her to marry me," Lucas stated.

"Indeed, such an action is preposterous. After what you told me about Prince Hans, I'm hoping to never have to deal with him," Edmund said.

"Yeah he sure sounds like a power-hungry rat," Stephen added.

Kristoff was now starting to take a liking to the three guests. He was pleased with their wrathful reactions to what Hans did to the royal family of Arendelle. In addition to that, the ice harvester liked how they responded to how Hans asked Anna to marry him after knowing each other for less than a day.

The ice harvester realized that he still wanted to know more about the three men. However, he was unsure how to go about asking them. Kristoff wasn't good at those social interactions, not like Elsa and Anna, so he mulled over how to ask them more about themselves. Unable to think of anything better, he simply asked, "What do you think of Arendelle gentlemen?"

"The countryside looked beautiful from the view I had on the ship. I am eager to go explore it," Edmund replied.

"Indeed, what I saw from our ship as we approached was great. The scenery was dazzling," Lucas chimed in.

"The welcome we received once we docked! It had to be the best greeting ever. The emissary from the palace was so gracious, and as we were walking to our guestroom one lady offered us hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies," Stephen added.

"I also saw some children ice skating in the middle of the town. I've heard the ice skating here is the finest in the world. Is that true?" Ed asked.

"Indeed, it is," Kristoff responded. "If you enjoy ice skating, it is the best. Have you all traveled a lot?" When the three nodded in unison, he asked, "Where all have you been? What is your favorite place to visit?"

"I love to travel. Some places I've been to are Dublin, Paris, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Manchester, and Madrid. Although they are very nice kingdoms, I have to say that Arendelle seems the most exciting thus far. I enjoyed all the fun activities and sights each city had to offer," Edmund smiled.

"What kind of activities do you enjoy doing Edmund?" Kristoff asked. He decided to listen closer, as he had never set foot outside of Arendelle. The ice harvester was fascinated by how many places the English prince had been to.

"Going out on adventures is my favorite thing to do. I always go on adventures with Steph and my father. Back in the day, when my father, Steph, and I went to all the kingdoms, we would go outside them and see what scenery we could find. Those were the good old days," the English prince smiled wistfully.

Kristoff grinned. "I like to go on adventures as well in the mountains outside of Arendelle. Do you ice skate in England?"

"During the winter yes, we do. There is this pond in the castle garden that freezes over in the winter, and my father and Stephen both taught me how to ice skate on it when I was a kid. On the other hand, in the summer, they would teach me how to swim in it. When I don't go outside the castle grounds, I would have to say the garden is my favorite place to be. There are assorted vegetables and fruits of many kinds. One thing I am particularly fond of is the apple orchard. I would always climb the trees and pick apples off them. The apples are often used to make sparkling English apple cider, which is my favorite thing to drink during the holidays."

"That's quite fascinating," Kristoff smiled. "I do have a quick question for you and Lucas. Please stop me if I'm getting too personal."

"I'm sure you won't get too personal Kristoff," Edmund said.

"I know that Stephen's last name is White. Am I correct?"

"You are correct indeed, Kristoff," Steph confirmed.

"What about you, Edmund and Lucas?" The ice harvester asked.

"My last name is Curry. According to what my father, King Matthew, has said about that surname, curry is a variety of dishes that originated in the country of India. They are cooked in a complex mixture of spices and herbs that are generally prepared in a sauce. Curry is also a common last name in England and the surrounding countries, especially Ireland, which happens to be the country that my father and Stephen were born," the English prince explained.

"Do they serve curry dishes in England?" Kristoff wondered.

"They serve everything in England. Curry dishes are my favorite food to eat outside of smoothies."

"Are they any good?"

"To me they are. They are also very nutritious. I'm not sure if you've had any curry dishes?"

Kristoff shook his head. "Never. Not once have I set foot outside of Arendelle."

"Maybe someday if you ever decided to come to England, you'll give them a try?" Edmund asked with raised eyebrows.

The ice harvester chuckled. "Yeah sure. What's your last name Lucas?"

"Mine is Vermeulen. I have a long family history of living on water and flour mills. My father, King Arthur, has told me stories of how our ancestors lived on water and flour mills inside and outside the kingdom of Ostenda. That all changed when his grandfather ended up marrying Queen Sophie, and from that point forward, my family has lived in an extravagant lifestyle. We were never poor or anything like that. It's just that everything has been different for the Vermeulen family since," the Belgian prince said.

"What's Ostenda like?" Kristoff asked.

"It's a beautiful country. Summer is my favorite time of year there. Whenever it's warm outside, I like to go on adventures in the forest outside the kingdom."

Even though it was still early, Kristoff thought the guests were already significantly better than Hans. Not only did they get upset when they were told about Hans' actions, they seemed to be giving logical answers for any question Kristoff asked them.

Kristoff kept asking them questions, and to his surprise, none of the three guests would get annoyed or impatient with him. Instead, they were more than happy to answer any question he asked. The ice harvester did make sure to take care of what he was asking. He would prefer not to ask anything too personal for the three men.

The ice harvester was so zealous with asking questions that he didn't realize for a while how late it was getting.

When Kristoff thought he had asked them enough questions, he started to yawn. "Well I think I'll be heading to bed now. It was great getting to know more about you guys."

"Likewise, Sir Kristoff," Lucas smiled.

"You can just call me Kristoff gentlemen," Kristoff informed them.

"Of course. We are not tired yet, but we would prefer that you not lose any sleep," Edmund said.

"I agree. Please do not let us hold you up any longer Kristoff," Stephen grinned.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Good night," Kristoff said.

"You're welcome! Good night," the three men replied at the same time as the ice harvester began to make his way to his room.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Anna had been listening to the conversations between Kristoff and the three guests. She remembered the answers that she provided the ice harvester with when they had first met and frowned slightly at the memory. Back then, she really didn't know anything about Hans, other than the fact that he was from the Southern Isles, had twelve older brothers, and had green eyes. It didn't end so well for her, as he turned out to be a ruthless villain.

As she was listening to the answers from the three guests, she smiled. Anna's confidence that they were nothing like Hans increased more and more as she heard their responses. While she was able to know Lucas better, she had yet to know more about Edmund and Stephen. She figured that she would get to know them better tomorrow.

Once she heard Kristoff and the three guests bid each other goodnight, the princess saw Kristoff exit the sitting room and immediately walked up to him.

As soon as the ice harvester spotted her, his eyes widened. "Anna, hey! What are you doing?"

"I was just listening to your conversations with Edmund, Lucas, and Stephen," Anna replied.

Kristoff raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. You were listening to us the entire time, weren't you?"

"I guess you could say that," the princess said.

Anna did have a knack for getting into his business at times. Usually he didn't seem to mind too much, unless it was something more serious.

Kristoff couldn't help but smirk. "You really like to do crazy things. Isn't that right Anna?"

"Well, sometimes. Anyway, what did you learn about the three guests?"

"I just asked them a few questions about themselves and what their home countries are like."

"Oh? What did you ask them first?"

"I asked them about Prince Hans. Due to their reactions of what he did, I'm beginning to think they are not like him."

"That's good to hear! Yeah, Hans was a big jerk."

"He sure was."

"Oh? Did you learn their last names? Stephen's last name is White, I think."

"I did learn their last names. Stephen's last name is White, Edmund's last name is Curry, while Lucas' last name is Vermeulen."

"Curry and Vermeulen? Those sure sound like interesting last names. I've never heard either one before."

"Yeah I was pretty fascinated about them myself. Anyhow, I would like to get some sleep. It's getting very late."

"Sure, Kristoff. You weren't being harsh with them, were you?"

The ice harvester met her eyes and cupped her face in his large hands. "Anna, I meant what I said earlier about keeping you and your sister safe. I don't want to see either of you get hurt. There is no way I would be able to forgive myself if anything were to happen to you or Elsa. That being said, I wasn't being harsh with them. I'm glad that they gave me answers that are honest and dependable. Nonetheless, I will keep an eye on them, whether you like it or not."

Anna smiled up at him. "I really appreciate your protectiveness over my sister and I Kristoff. How did I get so lucky?"

"I guess it had something to do with going on a wild adventure during an eternal winter we were trying to end, and me getting thrown out of a trading post?"

"Sounds about right."

"I love you, Anna. You have no idea how happy I am to have met you," Kristoff smiled.

Anna gasped in surprise, but nonetheless beamed up at the ice harvester. "I love you too, Kristoff."

He then leaned forward and seized her lips in a passionate kiss.

After they ran out of breath, Kristoff gently hugged her and bid her goodnight. Before he left to go to his room, he kissed Anna on the forehead, which made her giggle. He may have been a rough and gruff ice harvester, but over time she learned to see past his rock-hard exterior and see him for who he truly was.

Once he was out of sight Anna spoke her thoughts out loud, "I bet you're very happy to have me in your life Kristoff. As am I to have you in my life."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Elsa was heading to her room to get some rest, clutching a candlestick. She was thinking about what Kristoff said to her and Anna earlier. While the Ice Queen admired how protective he was of her and her sister, she was nevertheless a little concerned about how grim he was with the three guests. Elsa had tried to reassure Kristoff that the three guests had no prejudice, but to no avail.

Sighing, she walked by a window, and examined the scene. The Snow Queen could not see much, other than the brumal scene that everyone, herself included, had seen earlier. It brought back memories of when she accidentally froze the fjord, and the whiteout she caused when attempting to return to her ice castle. Unlike the icy tempest she caused then, the snow was falling straight down, and she had nothing to do with it. Elsa couldn't help but express worry about how the guests would react when she told them about freezing her kingdom in mid-July. She wondered at the same time if their respective kingdoms were affected by the eternal winter.

The Snow Queen decided she was done observing the scene after a few moments. She then walked up to her bedroom door. What made the door to Elsa's bedroom stand out from the other doors in the castle were turquoise snowflakes that were painted onto it. This made it easy for anyone to tell that it was the Queen's room and that one should knock before entering. Elsa couldn't help but be amused at how many times Anna forgot to knock before she came into her room.

Upon entering her bedroom and shutting the door, she let her thoughts drift to the three guests. While she knew more about Edmund and Stephen, she did have yet to know more about Lucas. She thought about the conversation she had with the English prince earlier that afternoon. Ed seemed like a true gentleman. Not only was he eager to answer any questions she had for him, he was patient with her, and was rather modest about himself. Unfortunately, she didn't know if he would keep that same personality, now that he knew about her powers. While he said they were magnificent, Elsa was unsure whether he meant it or not.

Luc seemed to also be astonished by her powers. What Elsa did not know, however, was what the Belgian prince liked to do for fun, and what his parents were like. Like the English prince, Lucas was an only child. The Belgian prince seemed to be a nice guy like Edmund and Stephen were, but he just talked so fast. Elsa remembered her reaction to his fast-talking. While she was confident that it was part of who he was, she nonetheless remained cautious. She decided it would be best to get to know Lucas tomorrow.

After she had her bath, brushed her teeth and hair, and changed into her nightgown, Elsa read her favorite novel for a little bit. She then doused out the candles and went to sleep.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Elsewhere in the castle, Edmund and Stephen were settled into their guestroom. They had the finest suite in the northeastern wing, which was at the very top of the tower. Every single one of Arendelle's finest suites in each wing were at the top of their respective towers. The simplest guestrooms were at the bottom, becoming increasingly luxurious as one climbed up the towers of each wing.

"That was a great first day staying here in Arendelle. Wouldn't you agree Master?" Edmund asked.

"I would indeed Edmund. What are you planning on doing after your training tomorrow?" Stephen wondered.

"Since we have yet to see the town, I was thinking of maybe doing a tour to see what it's like there. I am confident that the town will be nice."

"Likewise. It looked nice from where we were able to catch a glimpse as we were getting close to port."

"Yes. We sure had a nice view from the ship." Ed smiled, then sighed when something else came to him. "It's a shame that father couldn't come here. I'm sure he would've liked the warm welcome Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff gave us."

"Matthew would indeed have enjoyed it, but he does have a kingdom to watch over while we're here."

"He does. England is very lucky to have a wise king like my father."

"As I am to have him as my best friend. Matthew is like a brother that I never had. It was a great blessing that I met him when we were young boys back in Ireland."

"Sounds like me and Lucas. Although you and my father got to see each other every day. Today was the first time Lucas and I saw each other in over a decade. I remember the day we met each other like it was yesterday."

"Yes. I remember all the fun you and Luc had together, and how you two were so sad to see each other go. What I was most proud of, however, was that you accepted what was happening, rather than getting upset about it."

"Getting upset about something you can't change is an unwise decision to make. That's why I'm glad to have you and my father to influence me to be the best person and man that I can be."

"As I am happy to have you as my student."

"I appreciate it Master," Edmund then noticed a chess set on a table in the corner of the suite. "Would you like to play some chess?"

"Yes please. Since it's getting late, we'll do one match," Stephen said.

"Let's do it Master," the English prince smiled as they prepared to do their chess match.

OoOoOoOoOoO

In the southeastern wing of the castle, Lucas was reading one of the books that he began reading in the library. Since he was the only one in the suite he was staying, Luc had the huge room all to himself. While he was grateful to have a whole room just for himself, it did nonetheless feel a little lonely having such a large room with only one person in it.

The Belgian prince thought it was a wonderful first day in Arendelle. He really liked how nice everyone was, especially the royal family. Lucas decided that he should now know more about Elsa, now that he already knew what Anna was like. What he really liked about the princess was her enthusiasm.

What Luc enjoyed most though, was getting to see his best friend again. Seeing Edmund brought back the memories he had of them when they had first met. While he didn't expect to meet him again in another kingdom, he was happy, nevertheless.

Setting his book down on the nightstand next to the bed, he got a good look around the room. There were two huge beds, a chandelier hanging in the center of the room, candles on the nightstand, by the entrance to the room and to the bathroom, and on a table in a corner. On another table, there was a chess set that appeared like it hadn't been touched once. There were a few windows, along with a door that led outside to a balcony. The Belgian prince decided that it would not be a good idea to go out on the balcony at the time. All he could see outside were enormous numbers of snowflakes falling and snow on the balcony. He also assumed that it was freezing cold outside.

Lucas realized that he hadn't seen the town yet. He thought that he would perhaps see the town either tomorrow or the day after. Another thing that came into his head was that he and Edmund could maybe spend some time together to make up for all those years that had passed in between their last meeting.

With a satisfied smile, Luc glanced at the clock on the nightstand that had a candelabra behind it. The Belgian prince realized it was getting very late. Thus, he got ready for bed. After he was ready for bed, he read the same book for a little longer before extinguishing all the candles in the room and falling into a blissful sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Apologies for my prolonged absence! Life and college have gotten the better of me as of late. Thank you for your patience!**

 **Thank you very much for your support everyone! It really means a lot! Your support motivates me to keep writing!**

 **I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney.**

 **Chapter 4**

Edmund and Stephen awoke early feeling refreshed despite the fact that they only had six hours of sleep. Pulling on their robes, both men padded over to the window and stared out at the predawn landscape. The quietness calmed them as they decided to practice their yoga. Both men did yoga every morning upon waking up. After having their baths, Ed and Steph quickly changed into their yoga clothes and started their practice with a series of sun salutations to greet the morning and awaken their bodies. Following these, they moved through the warrior poses before finally finishing their practice with a short savasana.

"What will we be doing today, Master?" Edmund asked as he and his master got dressed into regular clothes.

"I was thinking of letting you and Lucas explore the town while I see what the castle has to offer after breakfast. Since I did not really see much of the palace yesterday, I figured today would be a good opportunity to do just that," Stephen replied.

"Are you sure about this, Master?" Ed asked.

Steph nodded and gave him a warm smile. "You haven't seen Lucas in fourteen years. He is your best friend, Edmund. This is a golden opportunity to catch up with him and make up for all those years."

The English prince smiled gratefully, putting a hand on his master's shoulder. "Thank you, Master."

Stephen in return placed a hand on his student's shoulder. "Of course, Edmund. Ever since I began to train you, I've always been trying to be the best mentor I can be."

"You do a wonderful job at that," Edmund beamed. "Let's go downstairs and have some breakfast now, shall we?"

"Yes, we shall," Steph stated as he and Ed made their way to the Great Hall.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Meanwhile, Lucas was just getting out of bed, stretching his long arms and legs wide before he went to take a bath. Upon finishing his bath and getting dressed, he did some exercise to get his body warmed up before stretching in order to keep his muscles as loose as possible. Once he concluded his stretching, he practiced with his saber, imagining that he was sparring with someone while taking care not to hit or break anything. After finishing his practicing, the Belgian prince observed the scene outside the window. While it was still cloudy, there was no longer any snow falling. There was, however, a considerable amount of snow on the balcony. The Belgian prince saw that the snow went up to his knees. Even with the door closed, he could still feel that it was freezing outside. Despite the cold, however, the weather was halcyon; the wind was calm, without even the slightest breeze. Nevertheless, Luc knew it would be unwise to open the door without having warm clothes on.

He thought about what he should do today. Maybe go see the town?

Deciding that he would ask Elsa and Anna first before planning anything, Luc made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Edmund was walking to the Great Hall with Stephen when he almost bumped into Lucas as they turned a corner. Laughing, the three men greeted each other.

"Going to breakfast, Lucas?" Ed asked.

"Indeed!" Luc replied.

The three men headed to the Great Hall. As they entered, they saw the Ice Queen and her sister already seated and the sounds of clinking silverware greeted them.

"I do hope we are not too late?" Edmund asked as they entered the room.

"No, you're right on time. Please sit down, gentlemen," Elsa said as the three men obliged and made their way to their seats.

"Gentlemen, I would like to inform you that I have meetings with the council every morning. I apologize that I unfortunately will not be available until later this morning at eleven o'clock," Elsa stated.

"Ugh, those darn meetings!" Anna complained.

"They are not the most fun thing in the world, but it is my duty as Queen to make sure everything in Arendelle is in order," the Ice Queen explained.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Anyway, are you doing anything after that?"

"Nothing that I know of."

"Maybe once the meeting is over, we could build a snowman?"

Elsa nodded with a smile. "We certainly could."

The Ice Queen then turned her attention to the three guests. "Do you three have anything that you would like to do today?"

"I was thinking of taking a look around the castle to see all its wonders," Stephen replied.

"Maybe I could give you a tour, Stephen?" Anna piped in.

"That would be greatly appreciated, Anna. Thank you," Steph responded, smiling.

"No problem!" the princess exclaimed, beaming.

The Snow Queen smiled at her sister's generosity. She then cleared her throat and turned her attention to the two young princes.

"What about you, Edmund and Lucas? Is there anything you two have in mind?" Elsa asked them.

"If it's okay with you Elsa, I was wondering if I could go see the town and what it has to offer," Ed responded.

"Likewise. The town looks very nice. Going to see the town would also be a great time for Edmund and I to catch up," Lucas added.

The Snow Queen gave both men a reassuring smile. "Of course, you two may go see the town. It is a beautiful town that I am very happy to be looking after."

"I appreciate your permission to go see the town. Can't wait to see what I can find there," Edmund said.

"Thank you for your permission, Elsa. I look forward to exploring the town and whatever might be outside of it as well," Lucas stated, grinning.

Elsa gave them both a nod of approval. Edmund and Lucas were certainly fine gentlemen.

The Belgian prince looked outside and observed the overcast wintry scene. "We should definitely bundle up before we go out there. Right Edmund?"

Edmund nodded in agreement. "Yes sir. I would prefer not getting frostbitten toes or fingers."

"Neither would I buddy," Lucas said in agreement.

"Yeah the cold can really get to you if you're not prepared for it," Anna pointed out, as she had quite a bit of experience with the cold.

"You are correct about that, Anna. It seems you, Elsa, and Kristoff have much more experience with cold than me, Stephen, and Lucas," Edmund said sincerely.

"It gets very cold in the winter in Arendelle, so yeah we have quite a bit of experience with it," the princess responded.

"You sound like you really know what to do whenever it gets cold out. After all, I may not have as much cold experience as you, but that does not mean I don't know what to do whenever a cold snap strikes," Lucas explained.

"Taking proper precautions is certainly a good idea. Elsa, on the other hand, is not the slightest bit bothered by the cold."

"With her amazing powers, I assumed that the cold never bothered her," Edmund agreed, smiling.

"The cold indeed never bothers me," Elsa responded, smiling at the English prince's compliment of her powers. She was happy that the three guests had come to accept her powers rather than be terrified of them.

Anna was really liking the three men. Not only were they being polite and friendly, they let her, Elsa, and Kristoff know some interesting things about them. She was almost certain that they were honest and noble gentlemen.

The princess realized that she had yet to ask Kristoff what he was doing for the day.

"What about you Kristoff? Are you doing anything today?" Anna asked the ice harvester.

"I'm going out to the lake to harvest some ice," Kristoff said.

That caught Edmund's attention. "Harvest ice?"

"Yeah."

"How do you do that?"

Kristoff raised an eyebrow. "What would you like to know about it?"

"Like where do you get the ice from? What do you do with it?" the English prince wondered.

"I harvest ice in the lakes up in the mountains. See the mountains outside?" Kristoff said as he pointed a finger toward the window.

The three men obeyed and saw the mountains that were covered with a large amount of snow.

"After the ice is harvested, I transfer it to my sled. Then my reindeer Sven and I will bring it back here and sell it," the ice harvester explained.

"Sounds quite interesting. Not once have I heard about ice harvesting before. There is a lake outside of London that I go to regularly with my father and master. However, the ice just never gets thick enough to harvest it without any danger of falling in. All we can do is ice skate on the frozen lake," Edmund said.

"Ice harvesting seems fascinating. I have never heard of it, nor have I found any history about Ostenda doing anything like it. How thick does the ice have to be to harvest it?" Lucas asked.

"The ice needs to be at least a foot thick to harvest it safely. Only in the mountains is the ice thick enough year-round," Kristoff explained.

"Well I hope the ice harvesting goes well for you," Edmund said with a smile.

"Yeah. I'm sure you will get an abundance of it at this time of year," Lucas added.

"Maybe someday we can see how ice harvesting is done," Stephen said.

The ice harvester was gallantly surprised by the three men wishing him luck. He sat there in silence for a moment, studying the three men before a grin appeared on his face.

"Thank you for the good luck wishes gentlemen. You three seem strong enough to handle what it takes to harvest ice. I should let you know, however, that you have to do it in a certain way, or else you could end up falling through the ice or hurting yourself," Kristoff explained.

"You're welcome, Kristoff. As long as you teach us how to harvest ice before we even attempt it, I think we should be alright," the English prince replied with a reassuring smile.

Since the three men were so interested in ice harvesting, Kristoff was now wondering if he should maybe ask them to join him. While Stephen expressed his desire to stay inside the castle, the ice harvester thought that since Edmund and Lucas were going outside, they could come with him. Kristoff thought it would be a great chance for him and the princes to learn more about each other.

"Hey Edmund and Lucas? Since you guys seem very interested about ice harvesting, maybe you would like to, I don't know, come with me? I know you two already have plans to see the town, but I just thought I'd offer," Kristoff stated.

Edmund nodded with a smile. "I would love to come and see how you do it."

"Me too. I would like to see what you do when it comes to ice harvesting. I'm sure we'll have plenty of opportunities to go see the town during the time we're here," Lucas said.

The ice harvester was somewhat excited that the two princes accepted his offer. "Okay then. We will get ready to go into the mountains after breakfast."

Elsa couldn't help but grin at the conversation between Kristoff, Edmund, and Lucas. While she was more than happy to give the two young princes permission to go explore the town, she was nonetheless pleasantly surprised that they accepted Kristoff's offer to go with him to harvest ice. The Snow Queen thought that it would allow Ed and Luc to know more about the ice harvester's life story.

"Hope you three have a great time out there. Just be careful," Elsa encouraged.

"Don't worry. We will," Lucas replied with a wink.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After breakfast, Kristoff, Edmund, and Lucas were in the stables getting ready for their journey to the mountains, loading their supplies onto Kristoff's sled.

"Is ice harvesting what you do for a living Kristoff?" Edmund asked.

The ice harvester confirmed the English prince's question with a nod. "Yes. I've been doing it for many years since I spent much of my early years in the mountains."

"Sounds like a hard lifestyle," the English prince said.

"At first it was pretty rough for me. Now that I have been doing it for a while, it's not too bad." Kristoff explained.

"Glad to hear that it's not as rough as it sounds," Ed nodded approvingly.

Lucas, meanwhile, was giving Kristoff's reindeer Sven a carrot to eat. Since they arrived in the stables, the Belgian prince became curious about the reindeer. Upon laying his eyes on the two princes he was not familiar with, Sven had eagerly sniffed them and made attempts to lick them in their faces. This prompted Kristoff to calm his reindeer pal down, as he preferred that Sven not get his saliva on the guests.

"How long have you and Sven been with each other?" Luc asked.

"When I was a kid, it was just me and Sven. That was until the mountain trolls kind of took us into their family," Kristoff explained.

The eyes of both princes widened with surprise and shock.

"Mountain trolls? I have never heard anything about mountain trolls. What are they like? They're not giant, mean creatures, are they?" Lucas asked, clearly baffled.

Kristoff shook his head and smirked at the reaction of the princes. "They are not as bad as they seem. After all, they are the only family I know of."

The expressions of Edmund and Lucas softened somewhat. They were still a little surprised by the fact that there were magical creatures, however.

"Not to get too personal here, but do you happen to know what happened to your biological parents?" Edmund asked.

Kristoff merely shrugged in response. "I sadly don't remember anything about my parents. Aside from Sven, I've been on my own for as long as I can remember. That was until I moved into the castle with Anna and Elsa," Kristoff beamed at the mention of the princess of Arendelle.

"It's unfortunate that you never got to know your parents. I'm glad that you have Sven and the royal family of Arendelle though," Edmund said sincerely.

"I appreciate your sympathy, Edmund. Nonetheless, I have nothing to complain about with my life. Ever since I met Anna, life has become brighter for me and Sven."

"You really like Anna, don't you?" Lucas asked.

"I guess you could say that I really do. When we first met, however, she was engaged to Hans. Over the course of the journey to end the eternal winter Elsa accidentally cast upon Arendelle, we got closer. By the time it ended, Anna and I really wanted to know more about each other."

"You mean that scumbag that attempted to kill her and Elsa to take over the kingdom?"

Kristoff nodded with a scornful look on his face. "Yup. After I saw what he doing to Elsa, I was ready to clobber him for his actions. That was when Anna stepped in to deal with him herself. She then proceeded to punch that scoundrel off the ship. He sure got what he deserved."

"With actions like that, I would've done more than just punch him," Edmund said.

"Would you have killed him?" Kristoff asked.

The English prince shook his head. "I don't think I'd go that far. Stephen has taught me not to ever think about killing anyone, even those who commit atrocious deeds. While it is in my nature to make someone pay for what they did, it has never been in my nature to kill. It is in my nature, however, to protect those I care about most. Maybe I would've gotten him sent to prison for life."

The ice harvester nodded in both understanding and agreement, knowing where Ed was going with that.

"What would you have done, Lucas?" Kristoff wondered.

"Probably the same thing as Edmund. Even with the evilest human beings out there, I cannot stand the thought of killing anyone or anything," Luc explained.

Kristoff deeply appreciated that the two princes were willing to show mercy. On the other hand, Hans did not know how to show leniency whatsoever.

Once the three men had all their supplies ready to go, the ice harvester decided that for the safety of the two princes and himself, he should probably sit in the middle of the sled.

"Hey guys? Maybe I should sit in the middle so I can have better control of Sven. Are you two okay with sitting on either side of me?" Kristoff asked.

The two men nodded.

"Whatever is best for you and everyone else, Kristoff. Since I have not had any experience with guiding a sled, it would be a good idea that you lead your best buddy here. The last thing we need is for anyone to get injured because of some mistake I might end up making while guiding Sven," Edmund explained.

"Same here. I would probably have no idea what I was doing if I attempted to usher Sven," Lucas said.

The ice harvester grinned at the generosity of the two men. "Glad to hear that you guys are fine with that. We just need to figure out who will sit on each side of me."

"Does it matter who sits on either side?" Ed asked.

"I'll let you two decide. It doesn't matter to me," Kristoff said.

"Okay. I'll sit on your left side then, and on the way back Edmund and I can switch sides," Lucas suggested.

"Good idea, Luc," Edmund approved.

"Alright then. Let's get going," the ice harvester said as he made himself comfortable in his sled. Once he was settled, Lucas and Edmund climbed into the sled on opposite sides of him.

As soon as everyone was situated within the sled, they were off.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Anna was showing Stephen around the castle. The princess noticed the graying at the ends of the gentleman's hair. Thus, Anna was curious as to how old he was. However, Anna preferred to be polite with the guests. As a result, she decided not to bother asking Stephen his age. With or without the gray at the end of his hair, Stephen was very handsome.

"What's your story, Stephen?" Anna asked as they continued to walk through the castle hallways.

"I was born in Ireland originally. Dublin, to be precise, which is the capital of the country. While there, I was raised by a wealthy family that cared very deeply about my safety. It inspired me to learn how to use a sword, a bow, and to get stronger every day. That is where I met Edmund's father, King Matthew. When we first met, he was five years old, and I was eleven. Back then he was Prince Matthew. We did everything together, from swimming, to ice skating, seeing who could lift the heaviest weight, who could shoot a bow and arrow the farthest, testing our sword fighting skills, you name it. Matthew and I have been best friends since the day we met. To me he is a brother in everything but blood," Stephen elaborated.

"That's a really good story! It sounds like you and King Matthew get along very well! What's Matthew like?"

"Matthew is a king beloved by London for his generosity, wisdom, kindness, intelligence, and how much he cares about his kingdom. Life would not be the same without him. I have no idea where I would be right now if Matthew and I never met."

"I'm glad that London has a fair, just ruler like Arendelle does with Elsa," Anna smiled.

"Ah, yes, your sister. Elsa is a graceful, well-mannered, compassionate young woman. You should feel very lucky to have her as a sister. She seems to care very deeply about you," Stephen said.

"Yes, I am lucky that Elsa is my sister. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Glad to hear that. Anyway, to continue my life story, everything changed for me and Matthew when he was twenty years old. He and I moved to England after he was involved in an arranged marriage with English Princess Isabella. Since her parents were stepping down from being King and Queen, they needed their daughter to find a husband to rule London beside her. At that time, Matthew was still a very young man and did not feel like he could handle the responsibilities of ruling such an enormous city. I assured him that he would be a wonderful king, and though he did appreciate the encouragement, he was still unsure whether London would like him ruling their city."

"Arranged marriages sometimes don't work out. Did Matthew and Isabella love each other?" Anna wondered, some concern in her voice.

Steph nodded. "Matthew and Isabella loved each other with all their hearts. It made me very happy that the arranged marriage actually ended up working out for the couple. Not long after they were married, Edmund was born. I began to train him the day he was born. However, since I know that babies can be very delicate and fragile, I made sure to take it easy with him. Only gradually did I increase his workload as he got older and stronger."

"Oh! What do you train him in? Do you like teach him how to use a sword and bow like you and King Matthew did?" Anna wondered.

"That and I saw a lot of potential in Edmund. He took his training so seriously, that I decided to train him in every fighting style that we know of today. Even though he is a virtuoso in everything I've taught him now, he never, ever takes his training lightly. Be assured though, that he and I only use our abilities for good. Ed is like a son to me," Stephen assured.

"That's good to hear!" Anna beamed. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"When Edmund and I are not training, we love to venture outside London and see the wonders of the forest outside the city. There is a lake we always go to for swimming in the summer, ice skating in the winter, and sometimes part of Edmund's training. I also like to spend time with Matthew whenever he's not doing any royal duties."

"Sounds like fun! When's your birthday?"

"My birthday is coming up pretty soon. New Years' Day is my birthday. I'll be turning fifty."

"Fifty?! Wow! You're halfway to the century mark!" Anna exclaimed.

Steph chuckled. He liked how Anna was so full of life. "I've been having a great life, and I hope it will continue for many years to come."


	5. Chapter 5

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **I feel like it will begin to get interesting pretty soon.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney.**

 **Chapter 5**

Sven was running up the mountainside through the niveous, snow-covered forest, his hoofs kicking up the snow as he did so. Kristoff was guiding his reindeer pal through the forest while Ed and Luc sat beside the ice harvester on opposite sides. The mountain man never had anyone besides Anna ride in his sled with him, as far as he could remember. During his time harvesting ice, he always rode by himself while delivering ice to the kingdom.

The first few hours of the journey up to the lake were rather silent. All three men just sat and watched the snowy trees go by. While Kristoff kept looking ahead to make sure his reindeer pal was doing alright, the two princes kept looking beside themselves to admire the wintry scene. Never had either of them thought that winter could be so beautiful. As Edmund and Lucas venerated what they saw before them, both men made sure to keep their arms inside the sled, even after they saw something interesting. The last thing they wanted was for any injuries to happen out of foolishness.

"Hey, Lucas?" The Belgian prince jumped a bit as he was not expecting to hear Kristoff's voice.

"Are you doing okay?" the ice harvester asked as he turned to face the Belgian prince.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" Luc responded.

"I was just asking to see if you were doing alright," Kristoff assured him.

"Oh. I'm doing fine. Just admiring the sight before us," Lucas said.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Kristoff asked.

"It is indeed. Not once in my life have I ever thought winter could be so amazing. I've never seen anything like this," Lucas said.

"Since I've lived in the mountains my entire life, this is something I have gotten used to."

"I bet. Speaking of the mountains, do you ever get cold?" Luc wondered.

Kristoff shook his head. "Cold doesn't bother me that much. It would bother me though if it were an icy body of water. However, cold air has never been an issue for me."

The Belgian prince nodded thoughtfully. "That's good to hear. I remember one time when I was young that my family and I went ice-skating one winter on a frozen lake outside Ostenda. At first it was quite a bit of fun, until it almost turned into a disaster. While we were on the frozen lake, the ice started cracking beneath us. My parents and I got to shore just in time before we could fall into the freezing lake. That was one of the scariest moments of my life."

"Sounds like another few moments could've meant that you and your parents would not have survived," Kristoff sympathized with Lucas.

"Yes. Thankfully, my parents learned a valuable lesson that day. From that day forward, they were more careful in determining whether the ice on the lake was safe or not to ice skate on," Lucas explained.

"I'm happy to hear that you and your parents didn't have another incident with the ice after that," Kristoff said.

"Thank you, Kristoff. I appreciate it," Luc replied, smiling.

"Of course, Luc," Kristoff responded with a grin on his face. "Does the cold bother you?"

"Not really. I'm fine with cold air, but like you said, I would definitely prefer not being in an ice-cold body of water."

"Yeah icy water can really get you into trouble if you're in it for too long."

"I agree."

Kristoff turned his attention to the English prince, who was still looking at the winter scene that the three men were racing by. "Are you doing okay, Edmund?" he asked.

"Yeah! Are we almost there?" Edmund wondered.

"We'll be there soon," the ice harvester responded.

Ed smiled and gave him a thumbs up as he, Lucas, Kristoff, and Sven continued to make their way towards the lake.

OoOoOoOoOoO

At eleven o'clock that morning in the castle, Elsa had just left the conference room when a certain sound caught her attention. She listened closer and determined that someone was playing a musical instrument. A piano maybe? The Snow Queen walked in the direction of the music, and the sonance got increasingly louder as she approached the ballroom.

Soon she found herself at the entrance to the ballroom. Who could be playing the piano in the ballroom at this time? She looked through the crack in the ajar ballroom entrance and saw Stephen sitting at the piano. He was masterfully playing the piano, making every single note sound amazing. What Elsa noticed most however, was the expression on his face. No matter the mood of the piece he was playing, he was stone-faced. As she continued to listen to Stephen put on a dazzling display, the Ice Queen did not see the expression on his face change one bit.

Once Stephen had finished playing, Elsa knocked on the door before she came into the ballroom. The brown-haired man turned his head to see who it was. Upon seeing that it was Elsa, he stood up and respectfully bowed.

"Good morning, Elsa," Steph greeted. "I take it your meeting with the council went well?"

"Good morning, Stephen. My meeting with the council was good. Just discussing things about the kingdom," Elsa said. "You sure sounded amazing playing the piano."

Steph grinned. "Why thank you. Edmund and I love to play the piano when we are not training. The piano is the only musical instrument that he and I both got ourselves into. On a side note, I'm glad to hear your meeting went well."

Elsa smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"How was the tour around the castle with Anna?" Elsa asked.

"It went very well. Your sister has one of the sunniest personalities of anyone I've ever met," Steph replied.

"Yes, she does. Now that you have seen the entire castle, what will you be doing for the rest of the day?" the Ice Queen wondered.

"Since Edmund is with Lucas and Kristoff harvesting ice, I haven't really planned out the rest of the day," Stephen responded. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Maybe you could go see the town?" Elsa suggested.

Steph smiled and nodded at the suggestion. "That's a great idea. It sure looks like a very nice town. Then after I explore the town, I can tell Edmund and Lucas all about it once they return from ice harvesting."

"Glad I was able to suggest something for you to do today," Elsa beamed.

"I thank you very much for that. Before I go ahead and head out to the town, I would like to play one more song on the piano. Would you like to hear a Christmas or winter themed piece?"

The Snow Queen nodded at the suggestion. "Yes, I would like that."

The brown-haired man grinned as he sat down in front of the piano and began to skillfully play the piano once again. Elsa did not remember anyone who could play the piano so masterfully and gracefully.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Well, here we are gentlemen. The East Lake," Kristoff announced as the three men arrived at the East Lake, which was nestled at the base of the East Mountain.

Edmund got out of the sled and observed what he saw of the lake. The deep snow surrounded the ice-covered lake, which seemed to be at least a foot thick.

"Hey, Edmund. Are you doing okay?" Kristoff asked.

"Yes. I'm doing just fine, Kristoff. Thank you for asking," Edmund replied with a grin.

"You're welcome. Will your muscles be okay with doing heavy work in the cold?" the ice harvester asked.

Edmund nodded. "Yes, I'll be just fine. My master has taught me how to train and do hard work in cold weather. Whenever I am outside during the winter months, I always try to overdress because I can then just remove a layer of clothing whenever I get too warm. As long as I keep moving rather than holding still for too long, I should be good."

"Do you stretch a lot?" Kristoff wondered.

"Yes. Master Stephen and I stretch every morning after we wake up. We also stretch before training, after training, and once we've warmed up after being outside on cold days."

"That's good," the ice harvester nodded approvingly. "You ready to get started?"

"Ready whenever you are," Ed replied.

Lucas hopped out of the sled after he had studied the scene and walked up to the two men with an ice saw in his hands.

"Hey, Kristoff? Is this the saw that is used to cut the ice?" the Belgian prince asked as he pointed to the large object he was holding.

"Yes. I'll show you two how the saw is used once we're on the lake," Kristoff explained as he and the two princes made their way back to the sled to gather their ice harvesting tools. As they got ready to go to work, Kristoff gauged the time, recognizing it was mid-morning, giving them plenty of time. He knew they would have an ample amount of time to return to the kingdom by dinner time if they got started right away. Speed mattered more than quantity.

As soon as the three men gathered their equipment, they began to make their way across the frozen lake. Upon reaching the center of the lake, Edmund and Lucas watched closely how Kristoff handled the equipment to make sure they got the most amount of ice possible.

Once the two princes felt like they had a good enough understanding of what to do, the three men brought down their ice saws and proceeded to cut through the ice.

As they cut through the ice toward the shoreline, Edmund and Lucas made sure to pay attention and follow the ice harvester's lead. To his surprise, Kristoff saw that the two princes were not having any trouble at all making sure to cut through the ice properly.

"Hey, are you guys sure you've never done this before?" the ice harvester asked.

The two princes chuckled before replying, "No, but you obviously are a good instructor."

Once the three men were finished cutting through the ice, they used splitting forks to separate the ice flows. It would not be long before they were using pitchforks to prepare the ice blocks for cutting in half to make them transportable on Kristoff's sled. The ice harvester was stunned at how Ed and Luc were able to get the hang of it so quickly.

Soon the three men were hard at work chopping the ice blocks in half with pickaxes. Kristoff could not help but grin at how hard Edmund and Lucas were working. Their determination resulted in them splitting all the ice blocks a lot faster than the ice harvester ever remembered during his time harvesting ice.

As soon as every ice block was split in half, Kristoff showed the two princes how to properly carry the ice to the sled, from the posture, to the way to having a firm grip on the ice with the tongs, and to not lose any strength while transporting it.

After a little while the work was complete, and Kristoff's sled was filled to its maximum capacity with ice. The ice harvester was stunned at how quickly the work got done. Not only was it done in record time, but also done incredibly well thanks to the two princes. Another thing that surprised him was that Edmund and Lucas were not the slightest bit tired. There were not red nor were they panting. How could these two men not be even a tiny bit exhausted from this?

"Wow. You guys are so strong! Even after all that, both of you don't seem fatigued at all. As strong as I am, you two appear to be much stronger. How are you guys so muscular?" Kristoff wondered.

"My lifelong training under my master's leadership," Edmund replied.

"Lifelong? You mean since the day you were born?" the ice harvester asked.

"Precisely," the English prince confirmed.

"Didn't you ever get injured?"

"Fortunately, I've never suffered any serious injuries. When I was an infant, Master Stephen made sure to take it easy on me because although babies are quite flexible, they can get hurt easily. He has always made sure that I'm doing everything correctly to avoid getting injured, and that we have healthy diets to handle the tedious work that comes with training," Ed explained.

"You both train pretty hard, don't you?" Kristoff wondered.

"Yes, we do. Our main reasons for the training are to stay in excellent shape for as long as we can, and to protect our kingdom and those we care about whenever a threat is perceived. While we both know every fighting style and how to use any weapon, our weapons of choice are swords and bows. I can assure you that both my master and I use our abilities for good," the English prince stated.

"I'm pleased to hear that you use your strength the right way," the ice harvester said.

"Of course. You seem to use your strength for good as well," Ed replied with a grin.

"Well I try," Kristoff responded, smiling. "What about you Lucas? How did you become so strong?"

"I exercise every day. A few ways I enjoy exercising are weightlifting, running, and fencing," Luc said.

"How long have you been exercising?"

"I've been running my entire life. However, it wasn't until I was four that I began lifting weights, and I didn't start fencing until I was a teenager."

"Who trains you?" the ice harvester asked.

"The Captain of the Guards. He loves his job of keeping Ostenda safe and takes the safety of me and my family very seriously."

"That's good to hear. Are there any weapons you prefer?"

"Longbows and sabers. We always use sabers in fencing. If you are wondering what a saber is, it is a type of heavy sword used by cavalrymen and has a curved blade, unlike a regular sword," Lucas explained.

"Sounds interesting. Maybe you could show me what a saber looks like?" Kristoff asked.

"Certainly," Luc beamed.

"Sounds good. Anyway, would you two gentlemen like to have something to eat? It's lunchtime now."

"Yes please," both princes said at the same time as the three men made their way to the sled to get out their lunches.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stephen was just entering the town, looking around to see the buildings covered in snow and with Christmas decorations hanging from them. He had made sure to dress up for the cold weather before leaving the castle.

As the brown-haired man walked, he passed by what he thought was a Christmas store. There were wreaths in the windows, with ribbon, holly, ornaments, assorted decorations, and Christmas trees inside the shop. Smiling fondly, he knew that it was a reminder of how fond of the holiday he was since he was little.

Steph continued strolling through the town, passing by numerous establishments and townspeople along the way. It was not too long before he found himself in the middle of town square. In the center of the square was a frozen fountain.

After observing the fountain for a few minutes, a small sled slid up to him, almost hitting him in the foot. He picked up the sled and saw a small boy run up to him.

"Sorry, mister!" the boy exclaimed.

Stephen smiled at the boy. "It's okay. Is this your sled?"

The boy nodded.

"Here you go," Steph said as he gracefully handed the sled to the child.

"Thank you, mister."

"You're welcome."

The boy smiled up at Stephen and then walked away with his sled.

Steph grinned as he watched the child walk over to a huge pile of snow where other kids were sledding and having snowball fights that he did not notice before. He remembered when he and Matthew went sledding and had snowball fights every winter in Ireland during their respective childhoods.

Just then, a cold breeze caught him off-guard, making him shiver a little bit. Deciding he needed something hot to drink, he searched for anything that might offer a hot drink. Luckily, he managed to find a café. Smiling, he brushed a few stray snowflakes from his clothes and walked inside.

To his dismay, the café was very busy, with a long line and people sitting at every table, drinking hot drinks, and eating various foods. Nonetheless, he was a very patient guy, and there were many things in his life that tested his patience much more than this. Thus, he shrugged off the long line, as he really needed to warm up somehow.

Once he got to the front of the line, the owner smiled and got ready to take his order.

"Good morning sir. What can I get for you today?" he asked.

"What kind of hot drinks do you have?" Stephen wondered.

"We've got a lot of hot drinks. Hot chocolate, coffee, tea, hot cider, hot glogg, and more," the owner suggested.

"I would like a tea please," Steph decided.

"Of course! Coming right up!" the owned exclaimed as he immediately went to work on the tea. It would not be long before the tea had been prepared.

"There you go sir!" the owner said cheerfully as Stephen handed him a few coins before carefully accepting his steaming cup of tea.

"Thank you," the brown-haired man said with a smile.

"You're welcome! Have a great day!"

"You as well," Steph replied as he sat down and set his cup of tea on a table that thankfully freed up while he was waiting.

Sitting down and making himself comfortable, the brown-haired man observed the scene outside a window that was next to him. It was no longer cloudy outside. He could see sunshine creating shadows out of buildings and any townspeople that walked by. The snow gleamed as the sun rays hit it.

Turning his attention to his tea, Stephen gently blew on it to cool it off and carefully took a sip. The brown-haired man winced a little bit as the hot liquid ran down his throat and settled in his stomach.

Once he was finished with his tea, he relaxed for a bit before deciding to go back outside and continue exploring the town.

As he rose from his seat, an employee went over to his table and began to clean it.

"How was the tea sir?" he asked.

"It was very nice tea," Steph smiled.

"Glad you liked it. Hope we see you again soon!"

"I'm sure you will. Have a good one," Stephen said.

"You as well!" the employee replied.

After he had left the café, Steph resumed exploring the town. As he explored, he made sure to take care not to bump into anyone. He greeted anyone that said hello to him.

Arendelle was such a beautiful town. It had to be one of the best towns the brown-haired man had ever visited. Every building, establishment, and house was tastefully decorated with Christmas decorations. The townspeople were all in a cheerful mood, which further brightened the atmosphere.

As nice as the entire town was, Stephen was especially astonished once he reached the wealthy part of Arendelle. Mansions and establishments had Christmas decorations all over the place. While it was a bit over-the-top for him, he nonetheless admired the sight before him. He did live in a castle, but he never bragged about it. Steph would be the same person, regardless of how wealthy he was or what kind of dwelling he lived in.

Soon he had explored the entire town and was now on the outskirts, looking over a snowy meadow. The edge of the town was just behind him. He glanced to both sides and could make out the edges of some mansions in the background. Stephen smiled as he saw a snowy forest in the distance, the snow lucent from the sunlight hitting it.

As he looked around, something deep inside the forest caught his attention. At first, he thought it was just another tree. However, upon looking closer, he realized that it was not a tree at all. There was no snow on it, and it appeared to be a black jacket standing up with a hood that hid the face of whoever wore it. Curious, he wondered what or who it could be, and why they would be wandering aimlessly in the forest in this weather.

Deciding to go check it out, Steph walked through the deep snow and into the forest, trying to get a better look at the figure. Before he could get a clear look at the figure, however, it suddenly darted out of sight and into a gap inside the mountains. Now Stephen was beginning to get suspicious. He picked up the pace, despite the snow being up to his waist, and reached the gap that the figure disappeared into. Steph followed the footprints that he spotted in the snow as he approached the gap. To his surprise, the footprints ended abruptly. The brown-haired man entered the gap and attempted to search for the figure, but no matter how hard he searched, the figure was nowhere to be seen. Once he was back outside the gap, he was beginning to think that whoever that figure was, it did not have good intentions. Steph had a gut feeling that something might soon be coming. Something heinous.

OoOoOoOoOoO

A snowball flew across the ballroom and slammed into the wall. Snow flew everywhere.

"You won't win this time!" Anna exclaimed, excited that her sister suggested a snowball fight once they had finished their morning duties.

"Oh, we'll see about that, Anna!" Elsa retorted.

The two sisters had agreed to have some sisterly fun after Elsa had finished her meeting and Anna was finished giving Stephen a tour around the castle.

Now they were having fun with the Snow Queen's powers, just the two of them.

Elsa was clearly overwhelming Anna, which resulted in the Ice Queen taking the snowball fight up a notch. She summoned up numerous towers that were scattered about their battlefield, and soon they were moving around the snow buildings, trying to seek an opening for attack while keeping cover at the same time.

Anna was leaning against one of the towers, waiting patiently for her big sister to come into her line of sight. She had a snowball in one of her hands, ready to throw it when she got the chance. As the princess peered out from her tower, she was pelted in the face with a snowball.

"You have to be better than that, Anna!" Elsa called as Anna brushed the snow off her shoulders.

"I'll show you better, Elsa!" Anna smirked as she saw her sister standing at the top of one of the snow towers. Running up towards the tower that Elsa stood on, she threw her snowball with all her might. It managed to strike the Ice Queen square in the face.

"Ha! Told you I'd show you better!" Anna stated with a satisfied smirk.

Elsa smiled and shook her head. Anna thought that her sister was going to admit defeat, but then Elsa disappeared from the top of her tower. Thinking quickly, Anna hid behind the tower that was the furthest from the one the Snow Queen was on top of just moments before.

Snowball in hand, Anna darted out to the tower that was closest to her. There was no sign of Elsa anywhere. The princess assumed that she was hiding behind another tower on the other side of the room. Due to Elsa's powers, Anna knew she had to strategize carefully if she wanted to win this battle.

Climbing up the snow tower, she soon reached the top and could get a slightly better view of their snow battlefield. Looking to her left, she caught a glimpse of Elsa behind a smaller tower. Her big sister saw Anna, however, and started making a run for cover as Anna threw the snowball at Elsa. The princess missed as the queen sprinted behind a taller tower.

"I'm telling you; I am going to win this time!" Anna exclaimed.

"Are you sure about that?" Elsa called back.

"Oh yes!" the princess responded.

The Snow Queen smirked at her sister's determination. Ever since their bond had been restored, she and Anna would always have snowball fights in the ballroom whenever the chance came their way. With her powers and analytical mind, she always won the snowball battles between the two.

Moving carefully, Elsa took cover in a snow building that had an opening. From the angle that it opened to the next snow building, the Snow Queen could take cover quickly in case Anna came into sight. With one entrance perpendicular to the entrance of another building, the Ice Queen knew that it could give her an advantage over her sister.

Elsa decided to wait patiently for her baby sister, while keeping an eye out in the other direction in case she came from behind her. While she waited, she made sure to glance behind her to anticipate any sneak attacks.

Eventually, the Ice Queen spotted her sister behind a snowbank that was next to one of the snow buildings.

Soon Anna charged out from her cover. Seizing her opportunity, Elsa conjured a snowball in her hand and flung it at Anna. It hit Anna in the face and sent her flying backwards into another snowbank.

Satisfied with her victory, Elsa walked up to her sister, who was shaking snow off herself. It appeared that Anna had gotten almost completed engulfed in the snowbank.

"You said I wouldn't win this battle?" the Snow Queen stated.

"No fair! You always win!" Anna pouted.

"I guess it has something to do with an older sister that has snow and ice powers?"

"Okay. I'll give you that," the princess replied, admitting defeat.

"Did you have fun?"

"I sure did! Maybe next time we can do this outside?"

"Yes, we should. Maybe sometime tomorrow?"

"I'd love that!"

The Snow Queen smiled. "Maybe we should get ready for Kristoff, Edmund, and Lucas returning from ice harvesting. With how long we were in here, they could be back any minute now."

"Yeah and Stephen might be back from seeing the town soon as well," Anna pointed out.

Elsa nodded in agreement. "After we are ready, maybe you and I should have some hot chocolate? I could really use something hot to drink about now."

"Yes please!"

Once Elsa had waved her hand, called back the snow and made it vanish from the ballroom, she and Anna left the room.


	6. Chapter 6

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney.**

 **Chapter 6**

After finishing their lunches and packing their tools onto the ice-filled sled, Kristoff, Edmund, and Lucas made their way back to the kingdom. The three men arrived back in Arendelle during the early afternoon. Kristoff acknowledged that with how swiftly the work got done, it was still at least a few hours before dinner time. The ice harvester had no idea what he would do yet but figured he could come up with something once the ice was stored in the kingdom icehouse. Spend some time with Anna, perhaps?

"This is where the ice will get stored, gentlemen," Kristoff pointed out as they approached the icehouse.

"Speaking of ice, my father has mentioned something about ice trades. The ice gets shipped to England and many other countries around the world from Norway. I wonder how they ship the ice across the sea without it melting," Edmund said.

"In order to ship the ice, we are required to use ice boxes. They are made from wood and are insulated with either straw, sawdust, cork, and sometimes seaweed. After that, we line the boxes with non-corroding metals such as zinc and tin," Kristoff explained.

"That's quite interesting. I never knew you guys had a way of transporting the ice over long distances while managing to keep it frozen solid long enough to get it to another icehouse. My father has shown me the London icehouse and how the ice gets shipped there and stored in the icehouse. It was certainly cold in there, and I can see why it needs to be cold," the English prince stated.

"If there is one thing that I am certain about icehouses, I have no doubt that it has to be cold in there because ice needs to stay cold in order to remain solid. Ostenda has an icehouse, and we use it to keep perishable foods fresh and for cooling during the warm summer months," Lucas added in.

"You're right about that, Luc. Arendelle's icehouse is also used to keep foods fresh and for cooling during the warmest time of year. Usually the warmest time of year in Arendelle is the middle of July. The icehouse keeps the ice from melting for months, even into the following winter," the ice harvester said.

"Glad to hear that you have a way to properly store ice. I'm sure that mid-July is the warmest time of year just about anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere," the Belgian prince said.

"It sure is, and I can see why. We are firmly in summer by then," Kristoff replied as they got out of the sled to transport the ice into the icehouse. "Alright gentlemen. Ready to get the ice out of the sled?"

Both princes nodded as they began to help Kristoff store the ice. Edmund and Lucas made sure to follow the ice harvester's lead and to make the stacking of the ice blocks as precise as possible. The goal was to make the ice take up as little room as the three men were able to do.

Soon the sled had been emptied of the ice, and the icehouse had been sealed shut.

"I thank you guys again for your help. This should be enough ice to last for a while," Kristoff said.

"You're welcome, Kristoff. Lending a helping hand is something I always enjoy doing. Hopefully we'll get to do it again sometime. It was a great experience learning how to harvest ice," Edmund stated with a smile.

"Not a problem. I enjoyed learning something new about ice and its importance. If you ever need me to help you again, I will be more than happy to assist you," Luc said, grinning.

The ice harvester was touched by their kindness. He was even more pleased that they were willing to do it again. Kristoff was seriously starting to feel that he had just made a couple of friends in the two princes.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stephen had just made his way back into town. He couldn't stop thinking about that figure, no matter what else the brown-haired man tried to think about. Steph decided that he should let Elsa and Anna know about it. There was some doubt in his mind on whether the royal family would believe him or not. Regardless, he knew it would be wise to let them know just to be cautious.

As he made his way through town, he made sure to smile and wave to anyone that greeted him. Since he assumed Edmund, Lucas, and Kristoff would be back from ice harvesting soon, he decided to make his way to the icehouse. The ice harvester had told him where the ice storage building could be found before the three men departed.

Sure enough, as the icehouse came into sight, the brown-haired man spotted three familiar young men in front of the structure.

"Hey guys!" Steph greeted as he walked up to the three men. The three men smiled and waved to the older gentleman.

"Good afternoon, Master! Did you enjoy seeing the town?" Edmund asked.

"I certainly did. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. Arendelle is probably the most unique town I have ever visited," Steph smiled. His grin would falter after a moment though.

This didn't go unnoticed by any of the three young men.

"Are you alright, Mr. White? You seem uncertain about something," Kristoff noted with a concerned look.

"It's perfectly fine that you just call me Stephen, or just Steph, Kristoff. Your assumption about me being uncertain is correct. Not because it has anything to do with the kingdom whatsoever, but because I noticed something outside the town," Stephen explained.

"You mean outside in the forest?" the ice harvester asked.

Steph nodded in confirmation.

"What was it?" Ed wondered.

"I have no idea. Whatever it was, I have a bad feeling about this. The figure had a black jacket with a black hood. When I tried to approach the figure, it just ran off."

"If what you say is anything that seems unusual, maybe we should tell Elsa and Anna about it. They will know what to do whenever there is anything suspicious in their kingdom. I'm sure of it," Lucas said.

"As long as we let Elsa and Anna know about this, we shouldn't have anything to worry about," Edmund assured his mentor.

"Should we notify them, Kristoff?" Steph asked the ice harvester, wanting to hear his opinion about the matter.

"It does seem odd. We should probably let them know," the ice harvester suggested.

"Then let's get to informing them, shall we?" Stephen suggested.

Everyone nodded in agreement as the four men made their way to the castle.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Anna and Elsa had finished their hot chocolate and were now in the courtyard, waiting for the arrival of Kristoff and the two princes.

"When do you think they'll return?" Anna asked.

"They should be back any moment now," Elsa responded.

Right on cue, the castle gates opened. Kristoff, Edmund and Lucas entered, with Stephen alongside them.

Anna squealed and ran straight into the ice harvester's arms. Kristoff nearly fell over but was able to regain his balance before smiling and hugging her back. While the ice harvester was concerned about what the reactions of the three guests would be, he realized that they didn't mind upon getting a glance of them. Instead of being uncomfortable, they were smiling, accepting that the two were in love.

After the couple let go, Elsa approached the group. "Good afternoon gentlemen. I assume the trip went well?"

Kristoff grinned as he nodded and spoke up. "Yeah the ice harvesting went a lot better than I thought it would. Thanks to Ed and Luc here, the kingdom has enough ice to last until at least next winter. It was like they had as much, if not more, ice harvesting experience as me."

It thrilled the two sisters that the two princes were so helpful to the ice harvester. "You two were really helpful today, now weren't you?" Anna asked.

"We tried our best. Kristoff gave us instructions that were clear and easy to follow," Edmund said.

"It was also a lot of fun learning how to do something I've never done before. There is nothing I enjoy doing more than learning new things," Lucas replied.

"The fact that you two were able to provide Kristoff with some help harvesting ice makes me happy," the princess grinned.

"Of course! Lucas and I really enjoy helping others out whenever it's necessary. Sometimes, you just can't do everything by yourself," Edmund explained, while Lucas nodded in agreement.

The Snow Queen smiled. She was glad that the two princes were fantastic guys who had only good intentions. Considering that both men helped Kristoff willingly, it proved that Edmund and Lucas were courteous and polite.

Elsa then turned her attention to Stephen, who was unusually quiet. "What about you, Stephen? How was your tour of the town?" Elsa asked.

The older gentleman didn't look up at first. After a moment, he faced the Ice Queen with a serious expression.

Elsa was now concerned. "Steph, are you alright?"

"After I was finished going through the town, I saw something suspicious outside of town, in the forest," Stephen replied.

The Snow Queen raised an eyebrow. "What did you see?"

"Exactly what it was is still a mystery to me. The figure appeared to be something or someone in a black jacket with a black hood. At first, I thought it was just someone who was exploring the forest. It didn't stop me from resisting the urge to inspect, however. Before I could even get a clear look at the figure, it ran into a gap that was in the mountains without warning. When I tried to search for the figure, it was nowhere to be found. Footprints that were in the snow instantaneously ended at the entrance to the gap. That tells me that the figure is most likely a person. Whoever it was, however, I feel like they have sinister plans for you and your sister. I thought it would be wise to warn you as I wouldn't want anything to happen to either of you," Stephen elaborated.

"Anna and I appreciate your concern for us, Stephen. I shall inform the Captain of the Guards immediately," Elsa said. "Is it the first time you saw the figure?"

Steph nodded.

"Where did you see this figure?"

"In a passageway through the mountains, right outside of town," the brown-haired man said.

"I'll send someone out for a lookout in that area, to see if they find anything out of the ordinary," Elsa stated.

The brown-haired man was relieved that the Ice Queen believed him. Steph did not like anyone who committed horrendous deeds. He had his fair share of witnessing such actions by many people in London. It really pained him that there were people like that in England despite having such a magnificent ruler in King Matthew. Stephen knew, however, that not every single person on Earth was bound to be good.

"Of course, Elsa. I would prefer that nothing happens to you or your sister. You've given me, Edmund, and Lucas some of the greatest hospitality we've ever received from another kingdom. We would like to return the favor by keeping you two safe from harm," Stephen stated.

"As I told Kristoff while at the lake, I only use my abilities for good and honest reasons," Ed added in.

"If anyone dares to make any attempt to attack the royal family of Arendelle, they will have to go through us first," Lucas said with a determined look.

"I appreciate your protectiveness over us, gentlemen. The Captain of the Guards will be informed of what Stephen saw in the forest at once," Elsa said as the group made their way back into the castle.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The Captain of the Guards, William, approached the Ice Queen. Once he felt he was close enough, he bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, you summon me. Is there anything wrong?"

Elsa nodded. "One of our guests, Stephen, suspected that there is something outside of town that needs to be inspected. He told me that there was a strange figure with a black jacket and hood. Would you please investigate the area to make sure that there is nothing peculiar over there?"

Captain William nodded. "Consider it done, Queen Elsa. We shall ensure that no one threatens you or anyone else in Arendelle."

"Thank you, Captain."

"You're welcome, Your Majesty," the Captain grinned as he went on with his orders.

After the Captain set off to check out the area, the Snow Queen headed to the library. She had decided to read for a little while before dinnertime.

Sometime later, Elsa was reading one of her favorite novels, focused on imagining what was going on in the story. She was brought back to reality when a voice said, "Hello, Elsa."

The Ice Queen was a bit startled, as she wasn't expecting anyone else to be in the library with her. She looked up from her book and saw that it was just Lucas. "Oh. Good afternoon, Lucas."

"Please forgive me if I am meddling with your reading," Luc stated.

"You're fine, Luc. If you would like to sit down, there's a chair right here," Elsa said as she invited the Belgian prince to take a seat in a chair directly across from her.

"Thank you, Elsa," the dirty-blonde haired man smiled as he sat down and made himself comfortable.

"You're welcome," Elsa said with a grin. "You and Edmund seem to be very close friends. Is that true?"

Luc nodded. "Ed and I have been best friends since the day we met. We met fourteen years ago during a festival in England. The festival was held during the summer after Edmund turned eight and I had turned seven. His father, King Matthew, held the festival to celebrate his thirtieth birthday. Every kingdom was invited to attend the festival, and my parents, King Arthur and Queen Victoria decided that we should go. Upon arriving in London, that is when I met Edmund. At that time, he also had another friend named Richard, whom Edmund had met two years prior. Once we finished greeting each other, we realized our common interests and became determined to do as much as possible during the festival together. We did everything we could think of, including archery, swimming, weightlifting, running, trying out new places to eat, exploring London, climbing trees at the apple orchard in the castle gardens, and going into the forest outside the city. To say it was a great week would be an understatement. Once the festival ended Edmund, Richard and I said goodbye to each other. All of us were deeply saddened as we felt that there wasn't enough time for the three of us to do more fun activities. I never stopped thinking about either of them after that. It was only after Edmund and I arrived here in Arendelle that we saw each other again. Considering how long it's been, nothing would thrill me more than to spend as much time with him as possible because I've realized that since he and I are adults now, both of us have major responsibilities as princes," he elaborated.

"I am thrilled to hear that you and Edmund get along well," Elsa smiled. Her smile faded when she realized that Lucas had not mentioned anything about what transpired with Richard. "What happened to Richard after the festival?"

Lucas sighed. "Unfortunately, I haven't heard from him since. I would sincerely advise asking Edmund about that since Richard is also from England."

"Sorry for asking that. I shouldn't have," Elsa said with regret on her face.

"No, it's alright. I'm not angry with you, and I have no doubt that Edmund won't get upset if you ask him about Richard when the time is right. He doesn't get annoyed very easily. In fact, it's almost impossible to upset Edmund."

"I'm elated to hear that he has excellent control over his emotions. You seem to have pretty good control, too."

Luc shrugged. "Every has their moments where their emotions end up winning. No one is perfect, right?"

Elsa giggled. "Yes." The Snow Queen decided that she should know some things about Lucas. "What's Ostenda like?"

"Ostenda is a beauteous and prosperous kingdom. During the summer months, I enjoy going out into the thick, dense forest to see what I can find."

"Are there a lot of creatures in the forest?"

Luc nodded. "I've seen a large number of different creatures to watch and admire while I go out on adventures, such as deer and rabbits."

"That sounds like fun. What else do you enjoy doing in your free time?"

"I have lots of hobbies. Some of them are fencing, reading a good book, regardless of genre, archery, and chess."

"Those sound like interesting avocations. Do you have a genre you prefer above the others?" Elsa wondered.

Lucas had to think about that. "Well, I've really been into fantasy since my earliest days. My parents would read some amazing fantasy novels to me every night before I went to bed when I was a kid. While I was listening to them, I would paint pictures in my mind of what was really happening in the story. To me, a good book is a good book, but if I had to choose just one genre, I would have to go with fantasy."

"I like fantasy as well. During my childhood, reading was one of the activities I spent a lot of my time doing," the Ice Queen said.

"Glad to know that we have something in common. Since I'm here, I was wondering if you could show me any interesting fantasy novels the library might have? Only if you would like to though," Lucas quickly added.

Elsa smiled. "Of course. There are quite a few interesting ones on this shelf over here."

The Belgian prince smiled as the Snow Queen set her book down and led him over to a bookshelf with a multitude of fantasy novels.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Kristoff was in the stables, eating carrots with Sven. Anna and Edmund were sitting down nearby, talking to each other.

"You and Lucas are best friends, aren't you?" Anna asked.

"Yes. We've been that way since we met at my father's festival to celebrate him turning thirty years old. Luc and I have a few things in common; we like to go on adventures, play chess, and read," Edmund replied.

"I'm thrilled to hear that you two are buddies," the princess smiled. "What else do you like to do for fun?"

"My master and I love to play the piano. We both are always playfully arguing who is the better pianist between us. He insists that I'm the better piano player, while at the same time, I assert that he is the superior pianist."

"Oh! Elsa told me earlier that Stephen played a winter piano piece for her, and she indicated it was one of the best performances she had ever heard!" Anna exclaimed.

Edmund raised his eyebrows in surprise. "He did that? That was very nice of him. It makes me jocund to have an inspiriting master like Stephen. Not only does he give me excellent advice, he also enjoys doing great things for other people. As do I," the English prince said with a grin.

"Alright, I think that's enough talk about me. Why don't you tell me something about yourself?" Edmund insisted.

"Well, I really like to spend time with my sister and Kristoff," Anna said.

"Kristoff is a great guy. I think he really feels affection for you, the way he was talking about you while we were out harvesting ice."

Anna blushed as the ice harvester made his way over to where Anna and Edmund were sitting, having overheard the conversation. Kristoff was flustered knowing that someone could see their affection for one another. "I really do care about Anna. We just don't want to rush our relationship, as I'm not ready to take that next step yet. We're not even engaged."

Edmund nodded in understanding. "That's okay. Love is something that should never be rushed. It happens when it happens."

"You seem rather smart, Edmund," Kristoff said.

Ed merely shrugged. "I wouldn't say I'm a love expert. While I do know it's all about finding the right person, love is not one of my strongest subjects. I believe that everyone can be a genius in something. For example, you are the ice harvesting expert. Until today, I knew nothing about it, aside from hearing about the ice trades."

"Let me tell you, the trolls sure are experts with love," the ice harvester responded.

"You mean the mountain trolls you spoke of this morning?" Edmund asked.

"One and the same. They get very excited when it comes to love. Who knows what will happen when they find out someday that Anna and I are officially in love with each other?"

"I'm sure they'll be eager to hear about that based on what you've said about them," Edmund replied.

"You have no idea," Kristoff said with a smirk.

"Maybe someday we can go to wherever they reside? They sound like interesting creatures," Ed said.

"Yes, for sure. I should warn you though, they can really get to you at times," the ice harvester said.

"That's okay. I've been through a lot of things in the past that have gotten to me. I'm sure I'll be able to handle the trolls," the English prince replied.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After dinner in the Great Hall, everyone was having dessert. As men of their word, Edmund, Lucas, and Stephen tried the chocolate cake.

"This is very luscious chocolate cake. Nice and rich, and I like how moist the cake is. My compliments to the cooks," Edmund said with a smile.

"I agree with Ed. Very flavorful, and I can't get enough of the mouthwatering texture. I really don't understand why I didn't try the cake sooner," Lucas added, nodding with approval.

"I am delighted to hear that you like it gentlemen!" Anna exclaimed after having a big bite of cake herself.

The two princes gave her a thumbs up and winked. Anna subsequently smiled at them.

Stephen, however, had barely even touched his slice of cake. Instead of focusing on his dessert, he was staring out the window. As opposed to last night's heavy snow, it was a clear night. In the night sky was the slight luminesce of a waning crescent moon.

Edmund took notice of his master's dubiety. "Are you thinking of that figure again, Master?"

Steph turned to his student and nodded. "Yes. No matter what else I try to think about, I just cannot get that thought out of my mind."

"Master, everything will be fine. Elsa has already sent out a search party to explore the area of anything odd," the English prince assured.

"What if the figure overwhelms the guards?" the brown-haired man asked.

"Well, in the case that happens, we must do everything we can to ensure that no harm comes to Elsa, Anna, Kristoff or anyone else in the castle. Should anything like that happen, I assure you that we'll be ready for it. However, I would not like it if you lost sleep over this, Master. The last thing you need is to worry to the point where your health gets affected."

"I appreciate you guys looking out for me and my sister. You have proven yourselves to be fine gentlemen," Elsa said. "Edmund is right, Stephen. Captain William knows what he's doing. He will make sure nothing happens."

"I assume everything will be alright then?" Steph asked.

"Everything's going to be okay, Stephen. That I can assure you," Elsa told the brown-haired man.

"Yeah nothing bad is going to happen to any of us, Stephen. Besides, you still have that chocolate cake in front of you. Maybe having a delicious sweet treat will get your mind off things," Lucas added.

"Maybe you're right. After what you and Ed said about the cake, I think it's about time I give it a try myself," Stephen replied as he broke a piece off his slice of cake with his fork and put it into his mouth.

After chewing and swallowing, he said, "You and Edmund were sure right about the cake. It's scrumptious," Steph said with an approving nod.

"I bet the cooks will be happy to hear that," Elsa said with a beam.

Once everyone had finished their desserts, they made their way back to their rooms to get some rest.

Despite being reassured that everything would be alright, Stephen refused to enter a limpid state. He still felt that it would be risky to just let the whole incident slide. The brown-haired man wanted to make sure that he, Edmund, and Lucas were ready to protect the royal family when and if the figure decided to make his move.


	7. Chapter 7

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 7**

The next morning, the three guests were making their way to the Great Hall for breakfast. Now that they knew what time breakfast would be served, the three men no longer needed to have any concerns about being late.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Elsa greeted them as they entered the room. "Did all three of you sleep well?"

Edmund nodded. "Master Stephen and I slept great. He and I did some yoga after we got out of bed. We do that everything morning to keep the flexibility of our bodies keen for as long as possible."

"Isn't it a little cold to stretch?" Anna wondered as the three guests sat in their seats.

"Cold can stiffen the muscles. Thus, we exercise to get our muscles warmed up before stretching," Edmund said.

"Glad you have a way to prevent any muscle tears. I'm sure those are no fun," the princess stated.

"I've never torn a muscle before. Based on what I have heard about them, I hope it never happens to me or anyone else," Ed replied.

"I agree with you, Edmund. Tearing any part of the body sounds like it would be agonizing," Elsa replied.

"I bet," Edmund said.

"What about you, Lucas? How did you sleep?" the Ice Queen asked the Belgian prince.

"I slept well. Upon waking up I practiced with my saber to maintain my skill with the weapon. Of course, I made sure to not hit anything with the saber. That definitely would not have ended so well," Lucas elaborated.

"Yes. I would prefer not having anyone cause destruction in my kingdom," Elsa replied.

"Of course. Since you have been so kind to me, I must return the favor by treating your kingdom as if it were my own," Luc said with a smile.

"Thank you for your generosity, Lucas."

"You're welcome!"

Soon the three guests and the royal family ordered what they would eat for breakfast. After the cooks served them, there was a pleasant silence that filled the room as everyone enjoyed their meals.

The princess realized that she must have underestimated how healthy the three guests like to eat. Not only did they order mixed berry smoothies with spinach, kale, and seeds, they also requested omelettes with assorted vegetables. This made Anna have a desire to ask the three guests what they really enjoyed eating outside of meals.

"Since you three gentlemen like to eat so healthy, what are your favorite kinds of snacks?" Anna asked.

"My favorite fruits are apples, blueberries, and strawberries. I also enjoy consuming almonds, oats, broccoli, and carrots," Edmund said.

"Those all sound delicious," Anna praised.

"They are indeed great-tasting and loaded with important nutrients as well," the English prince stated.

"What about you, Stephen and Lucas?" the princess wondered.

"I like pretty much the same things as Edmund, along with oranges, chia seeds, and peanuts," Stephen replied.

"As for me, I like avocados, bananas, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and quinoa. Occasionally I will add in some dark chocolate," Lucas said.

"Sounds like you guys really care about your health," Anna noted.

All three men nodded. "You only have one life. Therefore, you must take great care of your body. Be careful with what you are putting inside your body, get active, and give yourself the proper rest whenever you need it," the English prince elaborated.

"Ever since my childhood, my parents have always been telling me to eat my fruits and vegetables if I wanted to grow up to be big and strong," Lucas added.

"Our parents told us that as well," the princess said fondly.

"Well they have a good reason to tell us, and that is to eat essential nutrients your body needs to function properly," Lucas said.

Anna nodded in agreement as the royals continued with their breakfast.

Elsa was the first to break the silence. "Edmund and Lucas?"

The two princes turned their attention from their smoothies to the Snow Queen.

"Since both of you went ice harvesting with Kristoff yesterday, I assume you will go see the town today?" Elsa asked.

"I would love to. While I only saw a small portion of it yesterday, I already like what I have seen thus far," Edmund replied.

"The town certainly looked appealing to my eyes. I am hoping to go deeper into the town and find out what the townspeople are like and what I can find within it," Lucas said.

Stephen decided to add in the fact that the townspeople were very nice and welcoming. "The townspeople are wonderful, and the town is quite fascinating if I say so myself."

"That's good to hear Master. Since you enjoyed the town, that only increases my desire to see it for myself," Edmund said with a grin.

"Mine too," Lucas added. "Speaking of the town, is there anything interesting you saw?"

Stephen nodded. "There is this café in town square. I really liked their tea. Next time I will have to give their food a try."

"Then I will make sure to see the café for myself," Luc replied.

"What about you, Master? Is there anything you would like to do today?" the English prince asked his mentor.

"In case the hooded figure attempts to invade the castle, I would like to stay behind. While I have no doubt that Captain William is well-trained, it does not hurt to have reinforcements in case something goes wrong," Stephen said.

"Are you sure you would like to stay in the castle instead of joining Lucas and I?" Ed asked.

Steph nodded. "I'm sure, Edmund."

"Please forgive me if I am offending you Stephen, but I think it would be smart for you to make sure that Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff are not threatened by the hooded figure. Since it is a mystery to all of us, we have no idea how powerful or strong the figure might be. If Captain William ends up getting overwhelmed, then the castle would be defenseless against any threat the figure might pose. Since you and Edmund know every single fighting style there is, it would be a good idea for at least one of you guys to be here and fight the figure if necessary," Lucas explained.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After everyone had finished their breakfast and left the Great Hall, the group was beginning to separate to stroll to their locations. They would not get far, however, as Captain William spontaneously ran up to the group, clutching his sword in his right hand.

"Your Majesty!" Captain William exclaimed.

"Captain William? What's wrong?" Elsa asked, clearly concerned at seeing the Captain having drawn his weapon.

"The castle is under attack! Guards are being overwhelmed!"

"What?!" the Snow Queen exclaimed with wide eyes.

Stephen looked at the captain straight in the eyes. "Was there by any chance that hooded figure I've been talking about?"

"Yes! The guards cannot beat him! He's too skilled!" Captain William cried, alarmed.

Steph groaned with resentment. "I should've known that figure would be up to no good!"

"There's more! He is accompanied by many men! The guards just can't fight them off!" the captain continued.

The English prince was coming up with a plan to stop the figure. Thinking quickly, he came up with an idea. "Captain, Kristoff, and Master Stephen, please get Elsa and Anna somewhere safe as soon as possible. Lucas and I will stay in the castle hallways and try to fight the villainous creature and his men off."

"What if they have ranged weapons?" Elsa asked, worried for Ed and Luc.

"Lucas and I can take care of ourselves. The last thing we need is for anyone to get hurt or killed. We will get to Luc's room as soon as possible to retrieve his saber," Edmund said.

"Okay. Just please be careful," the Ice Queen said with an anxious look.

"We'll be fine. I promise. Let's go, Lucas!" the English prince said as he and Luc ran off as fast as they could.

"Let's get to my room everyone. Fast!" Elsa said as the five ran off to the Ice Queen's room. Once they were all inside and closed the door, Elsa locked the door. Everyone got in a fighting position, anticipating the possibility that the intruders could successfully pick the lock.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The two princes had nearly reached Lucas' room when they saw the black hooded figure accompanied by ten other men dressed in black clothing. All ten men were equipped with crossbows and swords. The hooded figure, however, was equipped with what looked like a much more deadly and dangerous sword, and a dark-colored bow. Both weapons appeared to be a very dark shade of red.

"There they are! Get them!" the figure exclaimed as he and the ten men went to attack Edmund and Lucas. The hooded creature swung his sword at the duo as they approached the door to Luc's room, but the princes both dodged it and opened the door. As soon as they were inside, Lucas slammed the door shut in the figure's face, right before he could get in and swiftly locked it.

Edmund quickly leaned up against the door, doing his best to impede the figure's progress in attempting to open the door. "Lucas! Get your saber! Quickly!"

The Belgian prince nodded and obeyed his best friend without question, running to the container in which his saber was stored and retrieving his prized weapon.

As soon as Lucas was in a fighting position, the door burst open, sending Edmund flying further into the room. Recovering quickly, Ed landed on his feet and entered a fighting position.

"Good morning, Edmund. It's so nice to see you again," the figure greeted with a sinister smile underneath his hood.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Edmund demanded.

"You are in no position to make demands with me, Your Highness. Soon enough you will know who I am. Men, attack them!" the figure ordered with an evil chuckle as his men readied their crossbows.

The figure's men were just about to fire their crossbows, but Edmund and Lucas were ready. Ed and Luc quickly charged toward the figure and his men, knocking away their ranged weapons. Unfazed, the men drew their swords and lunged toward the two princes, attempting to surround them.

One of the men swung his sword at the English prince, who masterfully veered out of the sword's path and punched the man in the face, knocking him out cold instantly. Edmund then sensed another man ready to fire his crossbow at him. Thinking quickly, Ed managed to get a hand on the crossbow before the man could fire it. The man then curled his other hand into a fist and attempted to pummel the English prince. Edmund parried the blow and then gave the man a swift kick to the hip. With the man doubled over in pain, Ed took advantage and knocked him out with a powerful punch.

Lucas was fighting two men simultaneously. He made sure to focus on the men that had their attention on him, as he knew Edmund could fend for himself. The Belgian prince viciously swung his saber at one of the men, who ducked under it to avoid getting hit. While Luc was distracted, the other man threw his sword down toward the Belgian prince. Lucas saw the sword in the corner of his eye and barely managed to avoid it.

Soon Edmund had knocked out all the men except the two that were fighting Lucas. The figure growled with frustration. "Looks like I underestimated you. However, you will not be able to defeat me."

"I suppose we shall find out?" Edmund asked.

"Yes. We will," the figure accosted as he drew his claret sword and stormed at the English prince. Edmund, however, was ready. When the figure's sword came down towards him, Ed rolled out of the way and tried to land a hit on the figure's head. The figure managed to block Edmund's fist, swinging his sword at the English prince's feet. Edmund jumped out of the way.

The English prince and the figure were very evenly matched. Neither managed to gain an advantage or a hit on the other. Said evenness would end, however, when Edmund saw the two men Lucas was fighting earlier pointing their swords at him while he was trapped in a corner. His saber was unfortunately out of his reach, so he was defenseless.

Determined not to let anything happen to his best friend, the English prince managed to get the figure off balance momentarily. That was all Ed needed to turn the fight in his favor, however. Edmund managed to land a hard thump on the figure's hood which knocked him down.

The English prince was facing the ultima of either knocking out the figure or saving his best friend. Staying true to his selflessness, he decided to choose the latter. The two men did not anticipate the English prince coming up behind them. Before they could do anything to Edmund, he grabbed the two men from behind and caused them to headbutt each other. Both men fell to the floor, unconscious.

"You okay, Lucas?" Edmund asked with concern as he offered his hand.

"Yeah I'm alright. Thank you," Lucas said gratefully as he accepted Ed's hand and was lifted back onto his feet.

The two princes turned their attention to the figure getting back onto his feet with venomous looks on their faces.

All the figure did was smirk and tell the princes, "You haven't seen the last of me. This isn't over."

Before Ed or Luc could do anything, the figure ran toward the window and teleported outside. The princes rushed to the window to see if they could spot the figure. No matter where they looked, however, he was nowhere to be seen. They stared out the window a moment longer.

Then their eyes widened as they realized something.

"Edmund, we have to go see if Elsa and everyone else is alright," Lucas stated.

"Yes, we do. Before anything bad happens to them. Grab your saber and let's go," Edmund instructed as Luc grabbed his saber and ran right behind Edmund to Elsa's room.

OoOoOoOoOoO

In Elsa's room, Captain William, Stephen, and Kristoff all stood protectively in front of Anna and Elsa as all five of them watched the locked door in front of them. Although locked, they were thinking of the possibility the intruders would get through anyway.

Both sisters were concerned for the two princes. They were hoping Edmund and Lucas were doing alright and nothing horrendous had happened to them.

"You two doing okay?" Kristoff asked the two sisters.

"Yeah we're doing fine," Anna responded.

"Stay sharp everyone. They could burst through that door at any moment now," Stephen stated.

Everyone obliged with Steph's statement as at that moment, the lock, which was being picked with for a little bit, gave way and ten men burst through the doorway.

"Nobody move! Drop your weapons and put your hands where I can see them!" one of the men ordered as all ten of them aimed their crossbows at the group.

Left with no other choice, Captain William dropped his sword, unwilling to risk anyone's safety. He then lifted his hands, along with everyone else.

"Kristoff, what should we do now?" Anna asked worriedly.

"We simply do as they say," the ice harvester replied.

"Oh, and no business with ice, Your Majesty," the same man warned threateningly, turning his crossbow towards Elsa.

The Snow Queen was terrified of what was happening before her. It was ten against five. There was no way they would be able to attack them without getting shot by at least one of the men. Elsa did her best to keep calm. Not one little snowflake could fall, or else it probably would not end so well.

They were in trouble now.

Suddenly, one of the men in the back made a funny face and fell to the ground. The five stared at the man in bewilderment.

"Alright who's there?" one of the men turned around to see if there was anyone there.

There was seemingly no one behind them.

"Who's there?!" the man shouted. "This isn't funny! Show yourself!"

The Snow Queen took advantage of the disturbance and summoned her powers with full force. Pillars of ice quickly rose from the ground and caught the ten men off-guard. All of them were hit in the head and knocked over. The group subsequently charged at the men to attack them.

"Take this!" Elsa exclaimed as she summoned pillars around one man and delivered a mighty uppercut to him, rendering him unconscious.

Stephen was surrounded by three men who had their swords ready to attack him. "Bring it on," Steph said.

One of the men lunged at the brown-haired man, but Steph, despite having no weapons, used his hand and hit a section of the sword that was not sharp. Not only did he swipe the sword out of the man's grasp, he twirled the sword in such a way that it was suddenly in his possession, much to the astonishment of the two other men. They wondered how Stephen did such a thing without cutting himself in the process.

"Clever move there, sir. Let's see if you have any more tricks up your sleeve," one of the men responded as he and the other man charged at Stephen.

"Have it your way," Steph replied as he and the two men engaged in a swordfight.

As the two men approached the brown-haired man, Stephen lunged at the first man, knocking his sword aside and whacking him in the face with a swift, powerful strike. The man staggered, clutching his head, but he wouldn't fall over. He tried to answer with a wallop of his own, which Steph rebuffed with little effort. Stephen then punched the first man again, and this time he fell to the floor, unconscious. Turning his attention to the second man, Steph ran up to him, and before the man could attack him, Stephen leapt into the air and landed a painful kick to the man's face. The man was subsequently knocked out cold.

"You stay away from Anna!" Kristoff roared as he grabbed the shirt of one of the men and punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him.

At that moment, Edmund and Lucas entered to join the fight. The English prince now had a sword of his own, as well as a bow and quiver of arrows. Lucas was clutching his saber in his right hand.

"You guys need some help?" Edmund asked as he knocked a man aside.

"I'm glad that you two are okay. Let's end this!" Elsa said with a determined smile.

Captain William managed to take out two more men, leaving only one man left.

"There's nowhere to run. Now, tell me who sent you!" the Snow Queen glared at the man that was cornered by the window.

What was odd, however, was that the man was smirking. "What's with that smirk on your face?" Lucas demanded.

"That's enough!" one of the men shouted from behind the group.

The group turned around and the sight before them had their eyes wide with horror. One of the men had hidden while the fight ensued and was now holding Anna at sword point. The man by the window took advantage of the inattentive group and rushed up to the other man.

"We tire of this nonsense," the man holding Anna said.

"What nonsense?! You just threatened Arendelle and their royal family!" Captain William hissed, venom in his eyes.

"Let her go right now or else I'm going to beat you up!" Kristoff vociferated as he began to make his way toward the men holding Anna hostage.

With the princess' life on the line, Edmund and Lucas held the ice harvester back, knowing that it would be a bad idea to approach the three as they could just slit Anna's throat.

"Oh, we know exactly what we did. You think this is the last you will see of us? You are dead wrong if all of you are thinking that right now. This is only the beginning," one of the men elaborated.

"Beginning of what?" Anna asked despite the sword at her throat.

All the man said was, "All in good time," with a devilish smile on his face.

The two men were suddenly knocked out as Elsa summoned two icy fists that collided with their heads from their sides. Anna let out a sigh of relief as the sword the man was holding fell harmlessly to the ground.

Kristoff rushed forward to his girlfriend. "Are you alright Anna? He didn't hurt you, did he?" the ice harvester asked, inspecting her neck. Fortunately, the sword did not inflict even a small cut on Anna's throat, much to Kristoff's relief.

Anna gave him a relieved smile. "No. I'm okay."

The couple hugged each other as the others smiled.

Captain William cleared his throat. "Not to ruin this moment, but what should we do with these men?"

"Take all of them to prison. They will have questions to answer about what is coming," Elsa said.

The Captain nodded and went on with his orders.

"Captain? Could you also take care of the men in my room as well please? I don't feel very comfortable having them in there with me," Lucas asked.

"As you wish, Prince Lucas," Captain William replied.

Edmund looked at Elsa and walked up to her. "Are you okay, Elsa?"

The Snow Queen nodded. "I'm fine. Are you alright?"

"Yes. I am not hurt," Edmund replied.

"Did you and Lucas manage to get a better look at the figure?" Elsa wondered.

"We did. Based on what I saw of him, I'm pretty sure he is a person with magical powers. He had black shoes on, and I saw that he had human hands. While Lucas and I fought him, he teleported out of the room and was nowhere to be seen after that," Ed elaborated.

"Magical powers?" the Ice Queen asked, clearly shocked at what the English prince was telling her.

"As much as I dread to say it, I'm afraid you're not the only one with magical powers," Edmund said solemnly.

"When do you think the figure will return? Do you know his name?"

"While he is a person, I unfortunately don't know his identity yet. Next time that scoundrel decides to show up, we'll be prepared and find out who he really is," Edmund said.


	8. Chapter 8

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 8**

"Well that was certainly a pleasant way to start the day now wasn't it?" Lucas remarked sarcastically.

"You can say that again, Luc. None of us saw it coming," Edmund replied as he placed his sword in a sheath that hung around his waist.

"Are you okay Ed?" the Belgian prince asked as he sheathed his saber.

"Yeah. Are you alright buddy?" the English prince asked.

"Yes. I'm just glad that no one was injured given the circumstances," Lucas stated.

"I will definitely share that sentiment," Ed replied with a nod of agreement.

"Should those men return, I will make sure to grab my longbow next time. Who knows if there will be a situation that calls for ranged weapons?"

"Then I will make sure I have my bow with me as well. While I did not see a reason to use it this time, I have a feeling that it will be very important to have it with me next time. Honestly, I'm glad I had it this time just in case."

Lucas nodded. It was always a good idea to have something that could prove useful in case an incident did not go as planned and an alternate plan would be necessary.

The Belgian prince then turned to the royal family. "Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff. Are you three alright?"

"Yes, we're just fine," Elsa replied.

"That's good to hear," Luc responded. "How's your neck, Anna? Did that guy cut you?"

"No, he didn't. I appreciate your concern Lucas," Anna said gratefully.

"Of course. No one deserves to get hurt like that."

Kristoff couldn't help but grin at the apprehension of the dirty-blonde haired prince. The ice harvester realized that even though he was Anna's boyfriend, Lucas was acting like a close friend that he and Anna had known for years.

While Luc was talking with the royal family, Ed had walked up to Stephen. "Are you alright, Master?"

Steph nodded. "I'm fine. Like what Lucas said, I'm relieved that nobody got hurt."

"Same. After that whole incident, what will you do, Master?"

"In case they return, I will patrol the castle to make sure that everyone is safe. Those guys could raid the palace again at any moment."

"Since I saw how you took out those two men, I know that the castle will be in good hands with you guarding it," Edmund said approvingly.

"I will do my best," Steph replied as he walked up to Elsa to ask if guarding the castle would be alright with her.

"Elsa, in case the figure and his men return, I was wondering if I could patrol around the castle and make sure nothing happens? That is, if you are okay with that," the brown-haired man said.

"That is something I would be perfectly fine with. I greatly appreciate that you're willing to defend us from the figure," the Snow Queen said gratefully. She was thrilled to hear that Stephen was offering to protect them.

"It would make me feel better keeping everyone in your palace safe from harm," Steph admitted.

"Alright. You can guard the castle then. I was impressed how you managed to fight off those men that surrounded you. The thing that surprised me the most is the way you took that man's sword away from him. How did you do that?" Elsa asked, impressed with Stephen's abilities.

The brown-haired man merely shrugged. "Hard work, dedication, and constant practicing. Like Edmund, I've been learning how to fight and get stronger for my entire life."

Elsa was now getting curious on if Stephen was either self-taught or if he had an instructor of his own. "Who was your instructor, Stephen?"

"His name was Noah. I would say he was much stricter than I was. He was a no-nonsense, fastidious mentor who did not tolerate failure very well. Every time I screwed something up, he admonished me and made me do it repeatedly until I succeeded. I was thankful that he never punished me harshly, but with how many times I had to do certain exercises over, I risked getting seriously injured. There were times where I had a close call with breaking bones or tearing ligaments. I consider myself very lucky to have never gotten injured really bad, to be honest," Steph elaborated.

"Noah sounds like a strict taskmaster if you ask me," the princess added as she and Kristoff got interested in Steph's story about halfway through.

"He may have seemed like that. Upon completing my training, however, he apologized for pushing me too hard and putting my body on the line too many times. Noah also said that he was proud of me for all the hard work I put in every day. It was then that it made me realize that even though he might've been grumpy and loathsome on the outside, he had a heart of gold on the inside," Stephen replied.

"Sounds like Noah wished he had trained you differently if given another chance," Kristoff responded.

Steph nodded in agreement at the ice harvester's comment. "I'm just glad I was able to reconcile with him, as he died suddenly about six months after I completed my training. From a heart attack. Not even the doctor or Noah himself saw it coming."

The royal family gasped at the last section the brown-haired man told them. It was certainly a shame that Noah passed away shortly after making amends with Stephen. Still, at least Noah was able to make it up to him before his death.

"At that time, I was a much younger man. When Master Noah died, I was only twenty years old, and King Matthew was about a month shy of turning fifteen. Noah's last words to me were to be a better mentor than he ever was. Since I was able to reconcile with him, I was determined to keep his promise."

"You seem to have done a great job on keeping Noah's promise to train Edmund right," Elsa praised.

"I've tried my best. Nothing to brag about," Steph replied.

The Ice Queen was beginning to perceive that Stephen was like Edmund in some ways; they were both humble and rather modest about themselves, despite their impressive abilities. She was glad that neither of the guests were rude or conceited.

Edmund then approached the group. "Well, you sure do a bang-up job of trying your best, Master."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Soon the group made their way out of Elsa's bedroom.

The English prince, however, decided to stay behind. He was admiring the Ice Queen's room. What caught his attention were the decorations that were hanging around the bedroom. Edmund could not help but wonder if Elsa used her magic to create the decorations.

"Your room is very nice, Elsa," Edmund praised.

"Thank you. It's not the fanciest room in the world though," Elsa said.

"That's okay. What I like are these decorations hanging around and how clean your room is. Everything is in its place, and you seem to have very good organization skills."

The Snow Queen smiled at the praise the handsome English prince was giving her. "I definitely like a clean and well-organized room to sleep and relax in."

"Agreed. I do my best to keep my room well-kept," Edmund said. "Speaking of those decorations, did you use your powers to create them?"

The Ice Queen nodded.

"I'm beginning to think that you could do a lot with your powers."

Elsa smirked. "You have no idea."

The English prince smiled at the look Elsa was giving him. Not only was she a beautiful and kind-hearted woman, she was also very independent and wise.

"Well, I have a meeting that I must get to soon. Would you like to walk there with me?"

"Yes please," Edmund responded with a charming grin.

The Snow Queen was really enjoying the English prince's company. He was such a gentleman. Edmund was one of the most humble, polite, and friendly men she had ever met.

As Elsa and Edmund left the Ice Queen's room and made their way to the conference room, something caught Ed's attention. The black-haired man thought he heard something on the other side of a door in the hallway. Was it a closet? If it were a closet, what or who could be in there?

"Elsa, please stay behind me," Edmund ordered as he carefully made his way to the door in a fighting stance. In case there was something wrong, Elsa obeyed the English prince without question, trusting what he was doing.

Ed carefully got closer to the door, ready for any potential attack. Once he reached the door, he carefully grabbed the door handle, and swiftly opened the door. While his suspicions were confirmed that the door led to a closet, inside were Gerda and Kai. There was no sign of any of the figure's men anywhere in there.

The English prince sighed with relief that it was not any more of the figure's men. "Oh. It's just you, Gerda and Kai. Are you two alright?"

"We are okay, Prince Edmund. Thank you for asking. After hearing the Captain say that there were intruders in the castle, my wife and I decided it was best that we find a place to hide," Kai explained.

"Smart decision. That way those guys could not hurt either of you," Edmund praised.

Kai nodded approvingly. "Queen Elsa, are you alright?"

"Yes, Kai I'm fine. Thank you," Elsa replied.

"Of course, Your Majesty. If I may ask, what are you doing right now?"

"I'm heading to a meeting with the council. They would probably like to know what happened just a few moments ago," the Snow Queen explained. "You may get back to what you were doing."

"As you wish, Queen Elsa," Kai stated with a bow as he and Gerda went forth with their tasks. Elsa and Edmund then continued to walk toward the meeting room.

Once the two royals reached the conference room, Edmund asked, "Hey Elsa? May I please ask you something?"

The Ice Queen raised a curious eyebrow. "Yes. What would you like to ask me, Edmund?"

Now the English prince was getting nervous. He was feeling very anxious on the inside. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Ed finally found the courage to ask, "Maybe tomorrow or some other time, you would like to go around the town? With me?"

Thunderstruck, Elsa stared at him with wide eyes. She had never had a man ask her out before. Was Edmund asking her on a date already? The Snow Queen had only known the English prince for a few days.

As she stared, the English prince quickly added, "That is, if you're okay with that. I have no intent on making you uncomfortable. We will go just as friends. Whether you would like to do that is entirely up to you."

Elsa thought about it. She was relieved somewhat that they would only be exploring the town as friends. The Ice Queen felt that she just was not ready to date anyone yet.

"I'll figure something out," she finally responded.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After Stephen had excused himself to patrol the castle in case the figure and his men came back, Anna, Kristoff, and Lucas were walking through the castle hallways, talking.

"Did you see that move Stephen made against that guy?" Kristoff asked.

"Yes, I did. Quite an impressive feat that he pulled off. I highly doubt I could do that without sustaining a wound in the process. Maybe I could ask him to teach me everything that he has taught Edmund. The figure and his men are well-trained. Next time they decide to attack, I should probably have Master Stephen teach me some of his and Edmund's abilities. That way I am better prepared to face them," Lucas said.

"Edmund and Stephen sure are determined fighters. I couldn't do anything like that," Kristoff stated.

"Me neither," Anna added in. "Were you and Ed still planning on seeing the town today Lucas?"

Luc nodded. "Yes. Even after what happened, I think Edmund and I will still explore and see what we can find. We'll simultaneously make sure to keep our eyes open in case we see anything suspicious."

"Sounds like a plan!" Anna beamed.

The Belgian prince couldn't help but grin in return. "Speaking of Edmund, where is he?"

"I think he's still with Elsa. Last time I saw him was when we left my sister's room, and he stayed behind," the princess responded.

Lucas was now wondering if his best friend was beginning to develop feelings for the Snow Queen. The fact that the English prince chose to stay with Elsa instead of leaving with them might hint that he was slowly becoming smitten with her. As tempted as Lucas was to tell Anna and Kristoff about it, he decided against doing so. It was too early to be talking about that, considering that the three guests had only known the royal family for a few days.

"Oh okay. I figured that I would meet him somewhere after we're done talking and then we'll head to the town."

"Alrighty! What about afterwards? Do you guys have something in mind after you return?" Anna asked.

"Anna, let's not ask Lucas too many questions, alright?" Kristoff scolded lightly.

"No, it's okay, Kristoff. Anna may ask me as many questions as she wishes. After Edmund and I explore the town, I guess we will discuss what there is to do afterwards. I haven't planned that far ahead yet," Lucas explained.

"Okay then. No rush," Anna winked.

Lucas chuckled and gave the princess a wink in return. "I think I'm going to leave you two alone now so I can look for Edmund. See you two later!" he exclaimed as he waved to them before making his way to find Ed.

"See you later Lucas!" Anna waved back.

"Later Luc," Kristoff smiled.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Upon bidding the princess and the ice harvester farewell, Lucas made his way around the hallways, searching for Edmund. Soon he found his best friend in front of the conference room.

"Ah, there you are Edmund. Ready to go out and see the town?" Luc asked.

Ed nodded. "Yeah. Before we go out there, we should get our jackets."

"I agree. Let's do it," Lucas responded before the two princes made their way to their rooms to put on their jackets. After they had their jackets on and met up again in front of the conference room once more, they were ready to go traverse the town.

"Hey Edmund?"

"Yeah Lucas?"

"I noticed that you stayed with Elsa in her bedroom after the rest of us left," Luc pointed out.

"Yes, I did. Since I most likely will not be going back into her room for the sake of being polite, I decided to admire what was in her room. She insisted that it was only okay, but I did like the decorations that were hanging about in there," Edmund admitted.

"Were they made from her powers?" Lucas wondered.

"They were. I bet she could do a lot of things with her magic," Edmund said.

"That I have no doubt about," Luc stated in agreement.

"If I may ask, is there a particular reason why you asked about me staying behind with Elsa?" Ed asked out of curiosity.

The Belgian prince was unsure about telling the English prince about him thinking that his best friend had a crush on Elsa. He decided that it would be best to do so, however, as Luc preferred to tell the truth instead of fabricating a story.

"Since you spent some time with her, I couldn't help but wonder if you are starting to develop an infatuation for Elsa," Lucas explained.

Edmund was stunned at what he just heard. He hesitated for a moment before he spoke. "Well, I'm not sure I would assume that just yet. Elsa and I have only known each other for a couple of days. I will admit that while I admire her beauty and her kind-hearted personality, it's too early to even think about asking her out on a date."

"Honestly, I have to agree with you on that. While I agree wholeheartedly that it is still premature to ask her out, I think you should do so once you have known her for long enough. I would like to confess that I think you and Elsa would look cute together," Lucas stated.

The English prince beamed. He was appreciative of the compliment and his best friend's heartening words. "I really appreciate the encouragement, Lucas. Really, I do. It's just that I would not like to rush it with Elsa. She seems to be the kind of person that would rather take things step by step. I will play it smart and take it slowly. The last thing I would like to do is ask her out too early and make her feel apprehensive," Ed explained.

"I would do the same thing when asking someone out. Making someone look uncomfortable is definitely not a good thing to do. Not only would it drive her away, it could also ruin your reputation."

"As much as I agree with you on making good decisions, I have never really cared much for my reputation. All that matters to me is being the best person I can be and only get better with each passing day."

"Likewise. It's a shame that not everyone turns out to be an amazing person such as yourself," Lucas said.

"Well, I try. I'm not as good a man as you are."

"That's not true. I don't think there's ever been as good a man as you in the history of the Earth," Lucas countered.

Edmund grinned as he shook his head at the playful argument between him and his friend. "Alright fine. We are both great guys then. How about we settle for that instead of arguing over it?"

"Deal," Lucas chuckled as he and the English prince shook their hands to seal the deal.

As they walked, they soon reached the exit of the castle. Bracing themselves for the cold, they opened the door and ventured out into the freezing temperatures.


	9. Chapter 9

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 9**

Edmund and Lucas entered the town, admiring the snowy environment and the Christmas decorations on the structures before them.

"Wow. This is an incredibly nice wintry scene before us. Am I right?" Lucas asked.

"Indeed. Seeing the town up close is just as nice as the snowy forest we rode through when we harvested the ice," Edmund said.

"Yeah. The town is tastefully decorated everywhere you go. Arendelle must really enjoy celebrating Christmas. I cannot help but wonder what kind of traditions the kingdom has during the holidays," the Belgian prince elaborated.

"I'm sure they do enjoy it a lot. Maybe we could ask Anna and Elsa what they usually do when Christmas rolls around," Ed stated.

"We should, and in the process let them know what we normally do for the holidays," Luc replied.

"Agreed," the English prince said.

After the two princes walked around for a little while and greeted any of the townspeople that acknowledged them, they found themselves reaching a café. The café looked very busy on the inside based on what the two men saw through one of the building windows.

"This must be the café that Master Stephen was talking about earlier," Lucas said.

"Must be. Let's go check it out, shall we?" Edmund suggested.

Lucas nodded. "I could use something hot to drink about now, and I'm sure you could too."

"Yes, I could. Something to eat as well since it's lunchtime now," Ed replied with a smile.

As soon as Ed and Luc stepped inside, they saw that the café was crowded. There was a line of considerable length, and every table had people sitting at them. However, the two princes really liked how good the place smelled. It smelled of cinnamon among other assorted seasonings and spices, and whatever food was being served from the kitchen. Edmund and Luc also enjoyed the atmosphere and the cleanliness of the place.

Edmund and Lucas chatted as they waited in line for their orders. To their surprise, the line moved along at a rather swift pace. It wouldn't be long before it was their turn.

"Good morning gentlemen. What can I get you two today?" the owner greeted with a grin.

"I would like a turkey sandwich and a green tea please," Edmund said.

"Of course!" the owner exclaimed and turned his attention to Lucas. "What about for you sir?"

"Same thing please," Lucas replied.

"Of course! We'll have those ready shortly!" the owner said with a smile as he began preparing the food and drinks for the two men.

As Ed and Luc waited for their sandwiches and tea, they found an open table to sit at. Once they had made themselves comfortable, they began to talk about the café.

"That was a very good first impression, don't you think?" Edmund asked.

"It sure was. Not only is the owner very nice and attentive, the place is clean and smells amazing," Lucas replied.

"That and the atmosphere is cozy as well. It's nice and warm in here, as opposed to how cold it is outside," Ed added.

"Yes sir," Luc agreed.

After a little bit, the sandwiches and tea were ready for the two princes. "There you go gentlemen! Enjoy!" the owner said as Edmund and Lucas paid for their food and drink before making their way back to the open table.

"Thank you, sir," Edmund and Lucas said at the same time.

"You're welcome! Have a nice day, gentlemen!"

"Thanks, you too," the princes replied with a smile as they set their sandwiches and tea on the table to enjoy.

As Edmund and Lucas enjoyed their food and drink, they looked outside the window that they were seated next to. It was a cloudy day. The clouds were a dark gray, hinting that it might snow pretty soon.

Soon they were finished consuming their sandwiches and tea.

"How did everything taste, gentlemen?" an employee asked as he went to clean their table for the next customer now that the two men were finished eating.

"Really good," Edmund said.

"I enjoyed it a lot," Lucas replied.

"I am thrilled that you two enjoyed the tea and sandwiches. Have a nice day!" the employee exclaimed cheerfully.

"You as well. Thanks," Ed responded with a smile.

"Hope you have a great day too. We'll see you next time," Luc stated, beaming.

The two princes left the café to go explore the rest of the town.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stephen had just patrolled through the entire castle, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. He was pleased that the figure hadn't even bothered to return. After what he had heard about the figure, however, he was determined to remain as alert as possible. If what Edmund and Lucas said about the figure was true, him being able to teleport at will, then Steph knew of the strong possibility the figure would come back. Stephen was certain the figure would return to the palace with a different strategy in mind, and possibly more men as well in an attempt to overwhelm everyone in the castle.

Steph was about to patrol the castle again when Captain William walked up to him.

"I greatly appreciate you taking the time to help guard the castle, Sir Stephen. Have you seen anything unusual?" Captain William asked.

The brown-haired man shook his head. "Nothing so far Captain. I was just going to keep patrolling the castle the entire day to make sure everything stays that way."

The Captain was thankful to have someone who was protective over the royal couple. He never thought that any guests that came to Arendelle would even think such a thing. As much as he appreciated it though, Captain William was beginning to think that he should take his turn helping out the guards. That way Stephen could get a chance to relax, maybe get something to eat so he did not starve.

"While I am immensely appreciative of you doing whatever it takes to keep everyone in the castle safe, I think I should patrol the castle now. The last thing I would like is for you to go the entire day without eating anything just to go around the palace. After what you did, you deserve to relax and do something more leisurely," Captain William suggested.

"Are you sure about this Captain?" Stephen asked with concern in his voice.

The Captain nodded. "Absolutely. In fact, I was thinking that maybe we should take turns patrolling the palace. I'll take the first watch every morning for a few hours, then you can take the next watch for a few hours, and so on. That way you and I both can get some time to ourselves and do whatever we like when we're not guarding the castle. Since I am the Captain of the Guards, it is my job to ensure Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, Sir Kristoff and everyone else in the castle is safe from harm."

"That's a great idea. Thank you, Captain," Steph stated gratefully.

"Of course, Sir Stephen. Now go ahead and get something to eat. I'll come and get you to patrol the castle again in three hours," Captain William said with a grin.

Stephen beamed in thanks as the Captain went to work guarding the palace. Satisfied that the Captain came up with a great plan on who would keep watch, the brown-haired man walked to the kitchen to get something to eat.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Wow! Check this out!" Lucas exclaimed as he and Edmund soon entered the part of the town where the rich people resided.

"Yeah! There's Christmas decorations everywhere you go, especially over here!" Edmund replied excitedly.

"Not only that, everyone here is very approaching and courteous. Arendelle is probably the best town I've ever been to outside of Ostenda," Lucas remarked.

"I have to agree with you on that. This only make me happier about staying here for Christmas," Edmund said.

"Me too," Luc replied with a beam.

As the two princes continued to explore the wealthy area of the town, a certain building caught their attention. It was a building with a circular sign that had two swords crossing each other.

"That looks like a weaponsmith. Should we go check it out?" Ed asked.

"Sure! I'd like to see what kind of weapons they have," Lucas responded as the two men made their way to the weaponsmith.

When they entered, Ed and Luc saw that it was a large building with numerous weapons that lined the walls of the entire shop. Swords, axes, spears, daggers, maces, hammers, mauls, sabers, bows, crossbows, and longbows of every kind were hanging neatly from the walls of the shop. Along with the weapons were many suits of armor with matching shields to go with them.

The man who owned the weapon shop looked up from his work when he saw the two men enter. He smiled and greeted, "Hello gentlemen! Welcome to Theodor's Weaponry, home of the finest weapons in Arendelle! How may I help you two today?"

"Hey there. We were wondering if we could have a look around and see all the weapons you have," Edmund responded.

"Of course! You may look at as many weapons as you like, gentlemen. If there's any questions you have about a particular weapon, then just let me know."

"Thank you, Theodor," Lucas said.

"Always my pleasure," Theodor replied with a smile.

Edmund and Lucas were fascinated by how vast a selection the weaponsmith had. While both princes had their fair share of weaponry in their respective kingdoms, they weren't expecting such a wide variety of weapons to choose from in a kingdom the size of Arendelle.

The English prince was looking through the swords and bows as those two weapons were his bread and butter when it came to weaponry. While he could fight with any type of weapon, he always preferred swords and bows. He continued browsing through the two weapon types and thought that every single one of them was very interesting. As he was finishing his scanning of the weapons, one sword and one bow in particular caught his attention. The bow was ultramarine and had the shape of the wing of a phoenix. It reminded him of the sea back home in England. Similarly, the sword Edmund was looking at was also ultramarine at the grip of the sword and had a blade with the appearance of solid gold.

Theodor noticed the enthusiasm of the English prince and walked over to him. "Ah, I've seen that one of the swords has really caught your attention! This is the most powerful sword in the entire world! It's called Thunder Delmoreblade."

"Thunder Delmoreblade? That's certainly a name that suits this amazing looking sword," Edmund said approvingly.

"Indeed. Delmore is a boy's name that means of the sea and originated in France," the weaponsmith explained. "I also noticed the bow you were looking at as well. The bow is referred to as Whispermarino Phoenix."

"Those names are very fitting for weapons that remind me of the sea," Ed said with a smile.

"Glad you think so. Marino also means of the sea, but is of Latin origin rather than French origin," the weaponsmith smiled back.

"If it's not any trouble, is there anywhere in the shop that I can maybe test out the weapons?" the English prince asked, unwilling to cause any unnecessary trouble.

Fortunately, Theodor nodded. "There are rooms to test out the melee weapons as well as rooms meant for ranged weapons. Which weapon would you like to test out first?"

"May I test Thunder Delmoreblade first please?"

"Certainly," Theodor said as he grabbed a tall ladder from behind the counter and set it in a position to climb up and reach Thunder Delmoreblade. Once he was high enough to reach the sword, he carefully withdrew it from where it hung high up on the wall, and climbed down slowly, taking care not to drop the weapon or injure himself. As soon as he reached the bottom, the weaponsmith handed the sword to Edmund.

Once Edmund had the sword in his grasp, the weaponsmith led the English prince to a room to demonstrate. "Here you are sir!"

"Thank you very much Theodore. I'll make sure to return Thunder Delmoreblade once I conclude demonstrating," Edmund said cheerfully.

"You're welcome sir! Please test it out as long as you like," the weaponsmith stated.

As soon as Edmund had gotten settled into the room to experiment with the sword, Theodor saw that a saber and a longbow had gotten the attention of the Belgian prince.

"That saber is referred to as Pelagiostorm, and the longbow is called Pikelongbow," the weaponsmith explained.

"Very interesting names. I heard that Pelagios is a boy's name that is originally from Greece and means from the sea," Lucas said.

"It is indeed," Theodor replied in agreement.

"May I test out Pikelongbow first please? That way I don't have to worry about getting in Edmund's way of testing out Thunder Delmoreblade."

"Of course! His name is Edmund eh?"

Lucas nodded.

"What is your name, young man?" Theodor asked curiously.

"I am Prince Lucas of Ostenda in Belgium, and Edmund is the prince of England," the Belgian prince greeted.

Theodor's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected any princes in his shop. For the sake of being polite, he respectfully bowed. "It is my pleasure to serve you, Your Highness."

Lucas chuckled. "That won't be necessary Theodor. You can just call me Lucas."

"As you wish, Lucas. I shall get Pikelongbow for you now," the weaponsmith smiled as he got the longbow for Luc. As soon as Theodor handed the longbow to Lucas, he led him to a shooting range that had six difficulty levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced, expert, master, and extreme.

"I would like to do the extreme difficulty please," Lucas requested.

"Are you sure about this? No one has managed to hit every target in extreme mode," the weaponsmith said.

The Belgian prince shrugged. "It doesn't hurt to try, right?"

"Of course! Let's see what you got, Lucas," Theodor stated as he and Luc went to the shooting range. Having practiced with bows and longbows since he was a little boy, Lucas could handle anything that was thrown at him when it came to archery.

With Pikelongbow ready to shoot, the weaponsmith and Belgian prince entered the extreme difficulty section of the indoor shooting range. Next to the entrance was a quiver of practice arrows. Locking himself in, Lucas took an arrow and drew it back. To the astonishment of Theodor, Luc not only managed to hit every target, he hit them all dead center in the bullseye.

"Wow! That was a dazzling display! You're the first one to hit the bullseye in extreme mode!" the weaponsmith praised.

Lucas was pleased by the commendation. "I appreciate the compliment. I've just been using bows and longbows for many years, and the Captain of the Guards in Ostenda trained me aggressively in sabers and archery. Personally, I think the hard work has paid off, and I will continue to work on my skills every day to make sure they stay sharp."

"Such fine young men you and Edmund are," Theodor praised.

"Well we try," Lucas said with a smile.

The weaponsmith grinned back. "Would you like to test Pelagiostorm out now?"

"Yes please," Lucas replied as he let Theodor hang Pikelongbow back up before the weaponsmith went on with getting Pelagiostorm for the Belgian prince.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After Lucas bid them farewell, Anna and Kristoff decided to spend some time together. With the two princes traversing the town, Stephen guarding the castle, and Elsa in her meeting, the couple had the whole castle to themselves.

"Now that it's just you and me, what would you like to do Kristoff?" the princess asked.

"I don't know. What would you like to do Anna?" Kristoff countered, unsure of what he and his girlfriend would do.

"Well, since Elsa is in her meeting and the three guests are preoccupied, I was thinking of maybe going around the shops in town and look for Christmas gifts to get for everyone."

The ice harvester pondered this. "Go around town? Just you and me?" While he and Anna had dated for nearly five months, Kristoff wasn't exactly used to being seen in public with her.

"Of course, Kristoff! We've been dating since mid-July! What's wrong with going out into the town together?"

"Nothing. It's just that before I met you, I was never romantically involved with anyone. Because of that, I have no dating experience and I'm worried that I might screw it up," the ice harvester explained sincerely.

"You won't screw it up, Kristoff. Life wouldn't be the same without you in it. You're the best boyfriend any girl could ever asked for," Anna said.

Kristoff shook his head and chuckled, appreciating the compliment. "How did I get so lucky?"

"We met when we were trying to stop an eternal winter in the middle of summer that Elsa accidentally unleashed?"

"Sounds about right," the ice harvester responded as he noticed Anna bring something out from behind her back in her hand.

"Whoa hold on. Is that mistletoe you have in your hand right now?" Kristoff asked.

Anna laughed. "Yes, it is! Do you know what you're supposed to do when you and another person are under mistletoe?"

"I assume you have to kiss?" the ice harvester guessed.

"Yes! Now just shut up and kiss me, Kristoff Bjorgman," the princess stated.

The ice harvester laughed as he wrapped one of his muscular arms around Anna's waist and placed his other hand gently onto her cheek. "Of course. Anything for you, Anna." He then leaned down and their lips met in a warm, passionate kiss.

Once the couple pulled apart after running out of breath, the princess was the first to speak. "Before we go around town, can we get something to eat first? I'm hungry."

"Sure," Kristoff replied as the couple headed towards the Great Hall.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Once Ed was finished with testing out Thunder Delmoreblade, he was ready to try out Whispermarino Phoenix.

"I have concluded my evaluation of Thunder Delmoreblade. A fine sword it is," Edmund praised.

"It thrills me to hear that you like it, Prince Edmund," Theodor replied.

"You can just call me Edmund," the English prince said. "I assume Lucas gave you both our names?"

The weaponsmith nodded. "He did. You two seem like admirable men."

"Thank you for the adulation," Ed said gratefully.

"Of course! Would you like to analyze Whispermarino Phoenix now, Edmund?"

"Yes please."

As soon as the English prince had the bow in his possession, Lucas walked up with Pelagiostorm. "Before I go to try out the saber, may I watch Edmund and see how he does in the shooting range?" the Belgian prince asked.

"You certainly may," Theodor replied.

"Thank you. I'd like to see Edmund's archery skills."

"Me too. Do you think you'll be able to hit the bullseye on every target in extreme mode? Lucas was the first to accomplish the feat," the weaponsmith stated.

"Well, only one way to find out," Edmund replied with a shrug.

The three men then entered the extreme difficulty room of the shooting range. Once Edmund drew his focus on the targets, he grabbed an arrow and pulled it towards him. Theodor was once again stunned when the English prince managed to hit the bullseye on every target dead center just like the Belgian prince had done just a few moments ago.

"Impressive! You're just as great an archer as your friend, Edmund!" the weaponsmith praised. "How on Earth do you do it?"

"Hard work and lots of practice," Edmund said modestly.

"Well, you two are the greatest archers I've ever seen. No one else in the kingdom has even come close to your skill level," Theodor said.

"I believe that every archer can be great in their own right as long as they dedicate themselves to practicing daily," Lucas replied.

"Yeah. Practice makes perfect, I am correct?" Edmund asked.

"You are correct, Edmund," the weaponsmith answered.

The English prince beamed. "Now then, I think you have a saber to test out, Lucas?"

"Oh, right. Thank you for reminding me," Lucas said.

"You're welcome," Ed replied as the two princes continued having fun testing out Theodor's weapons.


	10. Chapter 10

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 10**

At eleven o'clock, Elsa emerged from the conference room after completing her meeting with the council, heading to the Great Hall for lunch. As she walked, the Snow Queen could not stop thinking about when Edmund asked her to go to the town with him. The Ice Queen never envisioned herself ending up with anyone, as she was concerned that her powers would accidentally freeze the man she might end up falling in love with to death.

Deciding to shove those thoughts aside, Elsa made her way to the Great Hall to see Stephen there. He was eating a chicken breast with assorted vegetables and a salad on the side.

"Ah, Elsa. How was your meeting?" Stephen asked.

"My meeting went well. The council and I talked about how the harvest progressed in the autumn," Elsa replied.

"Did the harvest supply the kingdom with enough food to last through the winter?" the brown-haired man asked, hoping that Arendelle did get enough food for everyone.

The Snow Queen nodded with a reassuring smile. "Yes. This past harvest was prosperous. We have more than enough food to thrive until spring."

"I'm elated to hear that," Steph replied with a grin.

"How was your patrol of the castle? Did you see anything suspicious?" Elsa asked.

Steph shook his head. "Nothing to report. Everything seems to be just fine, for now. Captain William is keeping lookout now. He suggested I take a break for a few hours before I go around the palace again."

The Snow Queen was pleased that nothing happened while Stephen was scouting the palace. "Good. It was nice of the Captain to give you a break from guarding the castle. I also appreciate your willingness to protect me and the rest of my family from harm."

"Of course. Great people like you, your sister, and Kristoff don't deserve to have anything atrocious befall you," the brown-haired man said earnestly. The Ice Queen was touched over Stephen's protectiveness over her, Anna, and the rest of the royal family in Arendelle.

After Elsa received her lunch, she and Stephen ate their lunches in silence for a few moments.

The Snow Queen was the first to break the silence. "Stephen?"

"Yes Elsa? Did you need something?" Steph asked.

"There is something I need to tell you," Elsa replied.

"Of course. What is it?" the brown-haired man asked curiously.

"Have you ever been in love before?" the Snow Queen asked.

The question caught Stephen off-guard for a moment. "Do you mean with a woman?"

Elsa nodded.

"When I was younger, there was a time when I was indeed smitten with a woman. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to marry her due to my busy schedule. Why do you ask?" Steph wondered, curious to know where Elsa was going with this.

"Before the meeting with the council, Edmund asked me to go explore the town with him tomorrow," the Snow Queen stated.

Stephen's eyes widened in surprise. "He did? Already? Isn't it a bit early for him to be asking you out?"

"I suppose it is premature for him to be asking me out on a date. However, he said we would explore the town just as friends," Elsa replied.

Steph breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad he said you two would only be doing it as friends. Edmund is not the kind of guy that would ask someone out on a date after knowing them for only a couple of days."

The Snow Queen was also relieved that Edmund was not that type of guy either. "Edmund seems to be the kind of guy that means well."

Stephen nodded in agreement. "Yes. He is a very good man. Any woman would be lucky to pair up with such a humble, selfless, intelligent man like Edmund. For him, it is all about finding the right woman. He is in no rush to find her."

"I'm glad to hear that he knows love is not about rushing anything," Elsa said, appreciating that the English prince was not one to marry someone so quickly.

"Of course. You see, love is something that is cherished between two people and continues to grow over time, through getting to know each other and experiencing the many ups and downs together in life. It involves commitment, time, acceptance, and mutual trust in each other," the brown-haired man elaborated.

"Since you know so much about love, I'm sure whoever is with you is a lucky woman," Elsa praised with a smile.

"Actually, I don't have a wife," Stephen responded.

The Snow Queen's eyes widened in shock. "You don't? How could such a good man like you not have that special someone?"

Steph shrugged. "While I did consider getting married back when I was in my twenties, I decided that I was destined to be single. After Edmund was born, I realized that training him would take up too much of my time to find someone. I feared that if I ever did get a girl, I would not have enough time for her. The last thing I wanted was to get a girl and make her feel neglected because she might think I was not paying attention to her. Before Edmund was even born, I realized that I was happy with having Matthew in my life. Ever since then, I've been content with what I have and who I have involved in my daily activities."

Elsa considered this. While there were bachelors in Arendelle, she had not expected anyone outside of the kingdom with Stephen's status to not be married and have children. Then again, she realized that there were reasons for why men chose to stay single and some of them were good reasons. Thus, she nodded in understanding.

"I understand your reasoning, Stephen. Everyone has choices to make in their lives, and you chose not to marry anyone. Out of curiosity though, was it because you were afraid of responsibility?" Elsa wondered.

"That and training Edmund. With such an enormous responsibility in training Edmund, I knew that it would be difficult to do that and have a family of my own. Matthew and Edmund are family to me, both like a brother and a son I never had."

The Ice Queen was happy that Stephen was living a great life, even if he was single. Still, she was curious about something. "Have you still been thinking about getting married someday, even today?"

"I'm not sure I would want to do that now. Since I am almost fifty, there might not be anyone looking for someone my age out there."

"Oh wow. You are older than I thought you were. I thought you were in your twenties."

Stephen chuckled, but still appreciated Elsa's compliment. "I'll take that as a compliment. Thank you."

"You're welcome. It is," Elsa confirmed with a grin.

The two royals then turned their attention back to their lunches. As they ate, Elsa noticed that Stephen bore some resemblance to her father. While Stephen had the same green eyes as her father, Steph's hair was darker, and he had no mustache or sideburns. She could not help but wonder what kind of father and husband Stephen would've been had he gotten the chance to become one.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Edmund and Lucas soon concluded with testing out Theodor's weapons. Once the weaponsmith had put the weapons back in their places, the two princes considered something.

"Don't you think we should get something for Kristoff, Edmund?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah. I think it would be a great idea to get him an axe and a throwing axe since those weapons seem to be more his cup of tea," Ed replied with agreement.

Ed and Luc looked around the axes and noticed one that had the exact same ultramarine color as the weapons they analyzed earlier.

"That axe is referred to as Arnav Battle Axe. Arnav means ocean and is of Indian origin. Did either of you two gentlemen want to try out the axe?" Theodor wondered.

"While I would love to do that, Lucas and I were thinking of getting this and a ranged weapon like it as a gift for Kristoff," Edmund replied.

"What ranged weapon would you recommend that would go well with Arnav Battle Axe?" Lucas asked.

"I can certainly find matching throwing axes. Please give me a moment," the weaponsmith said as he went over to his throwing axe selection.

The two princes thought that the ice harvester would like to get a battle axe just in case he might need it for a potential battle in the future. Since Kristoff does use pickaxes to harvest ice, Edmund and Lucas thought that axes would be the perfect weapon of choice for him.

Theodor returned, clutching a throwing axe with one of his hands. "Here we are!" he said triumphantly. "Barbeau Throwing Axe."

"Does Barbeau mean fisherman and is of French origin?" Edmund wondered as he examined the throwing axe. It had a dark blue head and the area where the axe was held appeared to be the same color as platinum.

"Why yes! You must have read a lot of books over the course of your lifetime," Theodor remarked.

The English prince nodded in confirmation. "I love reading. Ever since I was a little boy, I have always wondered what would happen once I was old enough to start reading. Then, once I finished reading my first book, my desire to read took off from there. Over the course of my life, I have read more books than I could count. As long as the book is good, I will read it, regardless of the author or what the genre is."

"While I also enjoy reading, the books I have read are mostly about weaponry since that's what I do for a living. Occasionally I will stray off to a fantasy novel or two," Theodor said.

"You seem to really enjoy being a weaponsmith," Ed smiled.

"I do. It has been the only thing I pursued over my lifetime. My father taught me everything there is to know about weapons, from how to build them, where the materials and resources come from, and other things like that," the weaponsmith said with a beam.

The English prince grinned as he handed the throwing axe to Lucas. "What do you think, Lucas? Should we get both of these for Kristoff?"

Luc nodded. "I think we should. Since they are such powerful weapons, I assume they are pretty expensive right?"

Theodor nodded in understanding and solemnly. "I'm afraid so, gentlemen."

"That's okay. Edmund and I will split it where we each pay for one weapon," Luc explained.

The two princes then handed the weaponsmith the right amount of coins and took the weapons.

"Since you two are giving these weapons to Kristoff as gifts, would you like me to wrap them up for you?"

The two princes nodded. "Yes please."

"Would you like them together or separate?"

Ed and Luc thought about that for a moment. Then they came to a decision.

"Maybe we should have them together, right Lucas?" the black-haired prince asked.

"I think it would be a great idea since Kristoff will probably anticipate receiving another weapon if he were to open one of them before the other," the dirty-blonde haired man replied.

"Then we shall have them together. May we have them wrapped together please Theodor?" Edmund asked.

"Of course!" the weaponsmith exclaimed as he placed the two weapons into a special container and then wrapped them up. "It was a great pleasure doing business with you two today. You gentlemen have a Merry Christmas!"

"Thank you! You too!" Edmund and Lucas said simultaneously as they left the weaponsmith with the wrapped weapons in hand.

The two princes hoped they could make it to one of their rooms without being seen by Kristoff. Both princes knew that he would ask them about the package and potentially ruin the surprise.

Fortunately, Ed and Luc made it to the English prince's guestroom without encountering any of the royal family. The princes assumed they were busy at the time. Once they were safely inside the room, the two princes then placed the wrapped weapons into a closet and closed the door to keep them hidden until Christmas.

"Well that was a fun day today. Am I right?" Edmund remarked.

"It sure was, and it's not even over yet," Lucas replied.

"Now that we've got Kristoff a couple of gifts, I was thinking we should also get gifts for Master Stephen, Elsa and Anna, and for each other as well."

"Yes. Christmas only occurs once a year."

"What were you thinking about getting them Lucas?" the English prince asked.

The Belgian prince thought about it. "I was thinking of getting the two sisters chocolate items and some jewelry as well. What about you?"

"I was just thinking the same thing. As for Master Stephen, I will have to come up with something. He's happy with what he has right now, so it'll have to be something great," Edmund elaborated.

"You'll find something for him. I'm sure of it," Lucas responded. "There's still a few weeks until Christmas arrives, so I'm not sure if we should get all the Christmas shopping done today."

"That's true," Ed acknowledged. "Speaking of jewelry, I think after I ask Elsa out, maybe I'll surprise her with a diamond necklace or something."

"I think that would be a great idea, Edmund. Have you decided when to ask her out?" Luc asked.

"Well, I think we should know each other a little better first before I do that. I did ask her to explore the town with me earlier today, but only as friends," the English prince said.

Lucas nodded in agreement. "I think that's a good first step in getting to know her better. That way you do not have to worry about rushing it. I hope you two have a great time tomorrow."

"Thanks buddy. Since I am going to be with Elsa tomorrow, what will you do?"

The Belgian prince thought about it for a moment. "Maybe I could have Master Stephen teach me what you and he do?"

Edmund beamed. "There you go! That way when the figure shows up again, we'll all be ready to face him."

"Then it's a win-win situation," Lucas grinned. "What would you like to do now? Go back out into the town? Read a book? Play some chess?"

"Let's play some chess. Best three out of five."

"You're on, Edmund," Luc winked as the two princes made their way to the chessboard to get ready for their chess matches.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Anna, don't you think that's a little too much chocolate? Edmund, Lucas, and Stephen said they only consume chocolate on special occasions. Even then, I'm sure they do not consume such large quantities," Kristoff said to Anna as the two browsed through various types of chocolate in a candy shop.

The princess' basket was now loaded with assorted chocolates from a multitude of countries such as Belgium, England, Germany, and France. "Too much? You can never have too much of anything, Kristoff!"

"Yes, you can. Having too much chocolate is fattening and can cause you to lose all your teeth."

"Are you calling me fat, Kristoff?" Anna asked, offended.

"No, I am not. I just don't want anyone to eat so much chocolate that they get sick," Kristoff said.

Anna groaned. "Fine. It's just that Christmas is only once a year, and I would like to make it special for our guests."

The ice harvester smirked. "I know. Don't worry Anna. We will make sure it is a Christmas they'll never forget."

The princess smiled. "Goodie! Now let's see what other chocolates they have here." She glanced through the chocolate the candy shop had to offer. "Excuse me? Is this chocolate here imported?"

"It is, indeed, Princess Anna," the shopkeeper said. "This is the finest chocolate from the country Belgium."

"Oh! That's where Lucas is from! I'm thinking we should get that and the platter of assorted chocolates for him, Edmund, and Stephen."

"Anna, may we go get something to eat please?" Kristoff asked.

"Not until we're done here, mister!" the princess scolded. "Do you think they'll like milk or dark chocolate?"

"I don't know. Why not get a mixture of both just to make sure?" Kristoff asked.

"Good idea!" Anna squealed before turning to the shopkeeper. "I would like both milk and dark chocolate imported from every country please."

"Coming right up, Your Highness," the shopkeeper replied with a bow as she went to sort out their purchase.

After the couple paid for the chocolate, they made their way into town. Upon entering the town, everyone bowed as Anna and Kristoff walked by. The couple subsequently greeted everyone they walked by.

"Well, now that we got enough chocolate for everyone, I was thinking of checking out a weaponsmith for the guests. Did you see how they used their weapons when they fought off those intruders?"

Kristoff nodded. "Yeah I did. They certainly know what they're doing when they use their weapons."

"Then let's go to the weaponsmith!" Anna exclaimed as she dragged the ice harvester along.

Soon they reached the weaponsmith. When they entered, Theodor greeted the couple with a bow. "Good day, Princess Anna and Sir Kristoff. I welcome you to Theodor's Weaponry, the finest weapons in all Arendelle! What can I do for you two today?"

"Hey Theodor! I was wondering if there are any weapons that may have caught the interest of our guests?" Anna wondered.

"Why yes indeed! I'll show you which weapons Edmund and Lucas took a liking to," the weaponsmith grinned as he showed the couple each weapon that caught the attention of the two princes.

"Edmund was fascinated by Thunder Delmoreblade and Whispermarino Phoenix while Lucas became fond of Pelagiostorm and Pikelongbow," Theodor explained as he showed the weapons to the princess and the ice harvester.

"Those weapons are Edmund and Lucas alright, but Anna? Are you sure we can afford to get all four of them? They look like they are very expensive," Kristoff said.

"Seriously, Kristoff? They would love these! Like you said earlier, we were trying to make this Christmas special for our guests!" Anna responded.

The ice harvester sighed. "Alright then. How much for the weapons?"

"Well, they're not cheap," Theodor admitted. He named the price for the weapons.

Once the couple paid for the weapons, the weaponsmith asked, "Would you like me to wrap the weapons up for you two?"

"Yes please! That way they don't know what it is until after they open them!" Anna exclaimed. Theodor couldn't help but smile with amusement at the spunk of the princess.

"Would you like Thunder Delmoreblade and Whispermarino Phoenix to go together? Pelagiostorm and Pikelongbow as well?"

"Great idea! Make it look impressive please," Anna said.

"Yes, Your Highness," Theodor grinned as he placed the weapons in separate special containers before wrapping the containers. Anna already had her huge basket full of chocolate to carry, so Kristoff agreed to carry the containers back to the castle.

Upon bidding Theodor farewell, the couple made their way back to the castle.

"Where should we hide the weapons, Kristoff?" the princess wondered.

The ice harvester contemplated that for a moment. "Maybe in the stables? I was thinking that when Edmund and Lucas are preoccupied with something, I can sneak the weapons under the tree without them noticing."

"Okay!" Anna exclaimed as the couple went to the stables to hide the weapons somewhere where only they would know.

"Well, that was a great time, huh Kristoff?"

The ice harvester grinned. "You bet." He then bent down to kiss his girlfriend.

Anna happily returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as Kristoff put his arms around her slender waist.


	11. Chapter 11

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 11**

Elsa and Edmund were at the entrance of the castle, looking at the town in the distance. The Snow Queen was wearing her signature ice dress, considering the cold was something she had gotten accustomed to. Edmund was wearing his usual royal clothes with a jacket as he was not used to cold of this degree.

"Are you ready?" Elsa asked.

Edmund nodded. "Ready."

As they walked toward the town, the Ice Queen was wondering what the reaction of the townspeople would be when they saw the English prince with her. "Edmund?"

"Yeah Elsa?"

"Since you are a guest, aren't you concerned about how everyone will react when they see you with me? We have not exactly had very many guests outside of my coronation. You, Lucas, and Stephen are the first visitors Arendelle has had since then."

"Well, if they ask us, we must tell them the truth; that we are just friends. Like I said before, I would not like to pressure you into doing something you do not want to do," Edmund stated sincerely.

Elsa was relieved to know that the English prince was not one to rush love. She really admired his bounteousness.

The two royals reached town a moment later before beginning their stroll.

"Have you ever taken pleasure in the wintry scene of the town?" Edmund asked as he looked at the same snow-covered and decorated buildings that he and Lucas had looked at the previous day.

Elsa looked at him and shook her head. "I have not had a chance to marvel at the scene before us. For thirteen years, I was unable to see the outside world. I was locked away in my bedroom, trying to obscure my powers."

Edmund was surprised and concerned at what he just heard. "You were locked away in your bedroom for thirteen years? What happened?"

The Snow Queen was now debating whether to tell the English prince about the incident that she and Anna had when they were little girls. Elsa decided that she would tell him, feeling that she could trust him to understand. "When Anna and I were little girls, we would have fun with my powers in the ballroom every night. We would have snowball fights, build snowmen, ice skate, slide down slides, all those fun activities. Then one night, when we were playing, I was creating snow platforms for Anna to jump on that got higher and higher. At first, we were having fun, but eventually she was going too fast for me to keep up. I told her to slow down, and she must not have heard me, as then I slipped and fell. She made a leap, expecting me to create a platform below her to land on. I desperately tried to create it to catch her, but I accidentally struck her in the head. She was unconscious, and I saw a platinum blonde streak form in her hair. I felt so ashamed, as I almost killed Anna. My own sister," Elsa elaborated with a look of anguish on her face.

Stunned and feeling sympathetic towards such a solemn backstory, Edmund gently placed one of his large hands on her shoulder. "I'm very sorry that you and your sister had to go through that. It must've been terribly hard on your parents to keep you separated from Anna for so long."

"You have no idea how bad my parents felt about keeping me away from Anna. They were heartbroken about the whole thing. However, they did it to protect us and to keep me from becoming a monster."

"You? A monster? That is not true at all! Elsa, you are one of the most beautiful, warm-hearted women I have ever met. Why would you or your parents ever think that?"

"Back then, I was afraid of my own abilities and that they could hurt someone, or worse," Elsa replied.

"Your powers are a part of who you are. How could you be afraid of them? They're a gift," Edmund said.

The Snow Queen couldn't help but smile a bit at the praise Ed gave her. "At that time, I didn't know how to control them. Until I was able to control my magical abilities, my parents were determined not to reveal them to anyone, even Anna," she said with a sigh.

Edmund was perturbed that Elsa and Anna had such a horrific childhood all because of one accident. "I apologize in advance if I am sounding rude. Personally, I think instead of isolating you in your room, your parents should have gotten to learn more about your powers and teach you how to control them. That way you wouldn't have to be so frightened about your magic."

Elsa nodded in understanding. "You do not sound rude at all. Honestly, you do have a point there, Edmund. Maybe if I did learn how to control them sooner, I could've prevented them from dying."

"What do you mean by that?"

"My parents went on a long voyage in an attempt to find the truth about my powers. Sadly, a thunderstorm capsized their ship. They perished, and were never seen again," Elsa said with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

One eventually did fall from her eyes, and the English prince reached up and gently brushed it away with his thumb. "I can never imagine how rough your childhood was, especially without your sister to talk to, and losing both your parents. When did they die?"

"Three years before I became Queen of Arendelle," Elsa replied.

"That was gravely unfortunate to lose both your mother and father. Despite the situation they put you and Anna through, I have no doubt that they meant well."

"They did. Although I do wish they told Anna about why they were isolating me away from her. Then they could have told her that the reason they were doing it was because I was afraid of hurting Anna again. Since Anna cares so much about me, as I do about her, she probably would have had a newfound determination to help me conquer my fears no matter what. At the time, Anna and I were so young, we understood very little behind our parents' reasons."

"At least everything turned out okay in the end, right?" Edmund wondered.

"Eventually it did. Not before I accidentally cursed the kingdom into an eternal winter," Elsa said solemnly.

The English prince's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "You froze the kingdom?"

The Snow Queen nodded. "Yes. I thought I had only frozen Arendelle, but as it turns out, Anna revealed that I cast it everywhere." This made Elsa think of something. "Did the frozen summer effect England in any way?"

Ed shook his head. "No. I don't remember seeing it snow during the summer months in England."

Elsa sighed with alleviation. "I'm relieved that I didn't plunge the entire planet into an eternal winter."

"I bet," Edmund replied. "How did you end the frozen summer?"

"Through love. After hearing Olaf say that an act of true love will thaw a frozen heart, I realized that through love, since I love Anna with all my heart, I could gain control of my powers. I then thawed the kingdom and successfully brought back summer."

"Love is such a wonderful feeling."

"Yes, it is," the Ice Queen replied in agreement.

"Thank you very much for sharing your backstory with me," Edmund said.

"You're welcome," Elsa nodded. "What would you like to do first?"

The English prince contemplated for a moment. "I have an idea. Follow me."

"Where are we going, Edmund?" Elsa wondered, curious to know what the English prince had in mind.

"You'll see," Edmund said with a charming grin.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Lucas was in Edmund and Stephen's guest room, learning the moves and techniques that Stephen had learned and taught Edmund over the years. The dirty-blond haired man had decided to spend the day training with Edmund's master while Edmund himself spent time with Elsa.

"Do it again," Stephen said as the Belgian prince did an air punch towards nothing in particular.

"Good. Do it again," Stephen repeated, continuing to watch over Lucas.

Lucas obliged, doing another air punch.

"Great job. One more time."

Another air punch.

"You're catching on pretty quickly, Lucas. Keep this up, and you'll be as skilled as Edmund and me in no time," Steph praised.

"Thank you, Master Stephen. I eminently appreciate you taking the time to help me become a better fighter," Lucas said gratefully.

"Of course. You and Edmund have been my only students."

"Are you serious? You are such a great master. How could you not have like a hundred students or more?"

Stephen shrugged. "I was initially fearful that I would end up like Noah if I taught anyone how to fight. After he made that dying promise, however, I was determined to keep his word. However, it was not until after Edmund was born that I got the chance to do so. While I did consider training others besides Edmund, I realized that I was happy having one student. Only then did I realize that one is better than zero. Besides, I was also concerned that my teaching style wouldn't be ideal for some."

Lucas nodded in understanding. "You make a valid point there." He was then thinking of what to do next. "What shall we do next?"

"I'd like to see how effortlessly you can move in any direction. One of the keys to becoming a good fighter is the ability to move without any trouble."

"It shall be done, Master Stephen," Luc replied as he then demonstrated his legwork.

As the Belgian prince exhibited the movement of his legs, pretending to dodge many arrows being fired upon him, Stephen kept a close eye to observe him. To his surprise, Lucas had been able to move just as freely as Edmund, if not more than the English prince. Steph had heard some things about taller people not being as explosive as those who were shorter than them. Perhaps Lucas was an exception to this. The brown-haired man wished to examine why the Belgian prince did not get the training Edmund did, considering that Luc had the same sky-high potential that Ed possessed.

"Your legwork is outstanding Lucas. I see that you have as much potential as Edmund," Stephen commended.

"Ah, I'm sure my potential is not as high as Edmund's is. You have been training him for his entire life. I have only begun training with you," Lucas said modestly.

"Being modest, I see," Stephen said with amusement. "You truly do possess that potential. I just don't understand why the Captain of the Guards in Ostenda didn't train you like I did."

"Well, he is in charge of the guards of Ostenda, and thus he really doesn't have time to learn new tactics other than the ones the previous captain taught him. He does have a job to do, and that is to make sure the guards are performing their duties, as well as making sure nothing happens inside the kingdom," Lucas said.

"It's a shame that there was no one like me in Ostenda that could help you become a better fighter," Stephen replied.

"Yeah it is," Lucas stated. "Are there any other keys to becoming a good fighter that you would like to inform me of?"

Steph nodded. "One of the most important things about being a good fighter is to be as mobile as you can be. The last thing you want is to let your legs get tired, as they are your only way of not getting overwhelmed by your opponent. While training Edmund, I made sure to help with his footwork and body movement from the time he was able to walk. I have helped him train very hard with every single part of his body, but the lower body is a powerhouse. You should use your lower body for both attacking and evading. It is a habit that Edmund and I have had for many years; to spend lots of time learning, repeating, and perfecting legwork. Another thing we have done is to continuously explore for new opportunities to set up strikes, punches, and kicks to continue growing as a fighter. Even after Edmund mastered every fighting style there is, he has always had an open mind towards fighting, as it is very important for continuing to grow as a fighter and to be committed. Keeping your mind open and letting it flow freely can help fighting become an enjoyable activity," Stephen elaborated.

"I do enjoy fighting, but only when doing it for good reasons, like protecting those I care about. The Captain of the Guards in Ostenda also told me to make sure to have an aura of unpredictability. That way your opponent cannot sense your intentions," Lucas said.

"Precisely. It is always wise to identify a pattern, and then attack. Not where your opponent is, but will be," Stephen responded.

"Yes sir," the Belgian prince said. "Now that you've given me the keys to becoming a better fighter, what's next?"

Stephen smiled as he continued to show Lucas how he trained Edmund. No wonder Edmund and Lucas were best friends. Luc was just as great a student as Ed, if not better. They were eager to learn how to defend themselves and those they love whenever the situation called for it.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Anna and Kristoff were sitting by a fireplace, consuming mugs of hot chocolate. The princess looked out the window from time to time as the couple relaxed by the warmth the fire provided.

"Kristoff?"

"Yes Anna? What is it?"

The princess looked at her boyfriend. "I've been thinking about something."

Kristoff cringed a little bit at that. She was not going to bring up him proposing to her already, was she? "What have you been thinking about?"

"Well, this is our first winter together, as well as our first Christmas. Things are so different now than they have been every winter and Christmas before this year," Anna replied.

"Yeah. They are different," the ice harvester stated. "In a good way, of course," he quickly added.

"Of course! This will be our first true Christmas in years! After Elsa and I were separated from each other, winters and Christmas just weren't that fun without her around."

The ice harvester nodded in understanding. "I'm sure they weren't, especially when Elsa became the only family you had left."

"Yes. That is all in the past, however. All we can do is move forward, right?" Anna asked.

Kristoff chuckled. "That is correct." He then became curious about something. "For as long as I can remember, I haven't been able to spend Christmas with my family, outside of Sven and the trolls of course. Now, I will be spending them with you, your sister, and the guests. I've never gotten to learn what everyone does during Christmas time."

"Well, one thing we do is put up Christmas decorations and lights, as you saw when we got the gifts for Edmund and Lucas," Anna explained.

"That's true," Kristoff acknowledged.

"Another thing is what everyone consumes. There's candy canes, gingerbread cookies, eggnog, hot chocolate, among many other things," the princess said. "The most important thing is the gifts. It's not only getting gifts for each other, but Santa Claus will leave presents under the Christmas trees of those who have made it onto his nice list."

"Have I made it to the nice list?" Kristoff wondered.

"Of course, you have, Kristoff! You're the nicest, most genuine man I've ever met!" Anna exclaimed.

The ice harvester chuckled. "Thank you, Anna. I'm glad that you think that." Then he frowned. "I definitely know someone who will be on the naughty list."

"There's someone on the naughty list alright, and do you know whom that might be?"

"That dastardly Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. He's not getting any gifts this year, nor will he ever get anything from Santa Claus," Kristoff said in fury.

"Yeah. He's getting coal every year for Christmas from now on," Anna replied.

"After what he did, he deserves it," the ice harvester stated.

"That he does. I'm just glad you didn't turn out like him, Kristoff," the princess stated proudly.

"I'm glad you accept me for who I am, Anna," Kristoff said with a grin.

"As you accept me for who I am," Anna replied, raising her mug. "Well, to the first true Christmas Arendelle will have in years."

Kristoff raised his mug. "To the first Christmas I get to spend with you and the rest of the royal family." They clinked their mugs together and then continued to sip at the hot deliciousness the hot chocolate was giving them.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Edmund continued to lead Elsa through town, making sure not to go too fast. The Snow Queen could not help but wonder what was on the English prince's mind. She determined that they were heading south of the town. What Elsa noticed, however, was that Edmund was leading her away from the town. She really hoped he was not leading her straight to her death. After all his kindness and sympathy towards her after she revealed her backstory, however, she doubted he was an evil mastermind.

"We're here now, Elsa," Edmund said. Elsa looked around and saw that the two royals were now overlooking a snowy meadow just south of the town.

"I was thinking of making sure not to bring you anywhere that would make you uncomfortable. This is what came to my mind first since I was thinking of you and your powers," Edmund explained.

Elsa really appreciated Edmund's thoughtfulness. He made her feel like a normal person despite her magical abilities. Thinking of something, she formed a snowball in her hand and flung it at Edmund with a giggle.

"Oh, I see how it is," Edmund said with a grin. He reached down and dug his hands into the snow, forming a snowball of his own. The black-haired man then threw it at Elsa, hitting her square in the forehead. Now it was Edmund's turn to laugh.

"Hey!" Elsa exclaimed in mock anger.

"Well, I didn't mean to hurt you. You started all this," Edmund insisted.

The Snow Queen laughed. "I know Edmund. I'm just teasing." She then created another snowball and chucked it at the English prince.

Ed, however, was ready this time. He expertly dodged the snowball as it sailed past him.

Elsa then fired a barrage of snowballs at Edmund. No matter how quickly she launched the snowballs however, she was unable to land a single hit on the English prince. He masterfully dodged every single ball or just simply blocked the rest of them.

"Wow. I guess I underestimated how well Stephen trained you," Elsa praised, deciding to cease fire.

Edmund shrugged. "One very important thing in becoming a good fighter is to know how to respect your surroundings. You must know what is happening around you. That way you can anticipate any stealth attacks from your opponents and be ready to counter them."

"Oh really?" Elsa said with a smirk.

"What's with that smirk on your face?" Edmund wondered with a confused look on his face.

The Snow Queen then stretched her arms out with both her hands facing the snow. She summoned the snow, making it rise up. Elsa then moved one of her hands towards the English prince, the pile of snow crashing into him. Rather than knock him over, however, he was engulfed in the snowbank with snow up to his chest.

Before Edmund could break free from the snow pile, however, the Ice Queen chucked another snowball at him, hitting him square in the face. She giggled after the ball splattered all over him.

The black-haired man wiped the snow off his face, grinning. He then dug his hands into the snow pile, building another snowball. Edmund then leapt out of the snow pile with his strong legs. While airborne, he threw the snowball at Elsa. The Snow Queen braced for impact before the snowball struck her in the forehead.

Soon a snowball fight commenced. Both royals constructed snow forts for bases as they both formed strategies to try to defeat their respective opponent. While Edmund put up a really good fight, Elsa won out in the end, with Edmund accepting defeat with dignity. They both wound up bursting out laughing.

After their snowball fight had concluded, however, Elsa noticed that the English prince was wet from all the snow. This forewarned Elsa that Edmund probably needed to get back to the castle as soon as possible.

"Are you alright, Edmund? You're all wet!" Elsa said.

"I'm a little cold, but I can assure you that I'll be just fine. Maybe it would be a good idea for me to return to the palace. That way I do not get sick," Edmund suggested.

"I was just beginning to think the same thing. Let's go and get dried up, Edmund," the Snow Queen said, leading the black-haired man in the direction of the castle.

"Alright then," Edmund replied with a beam as he obliged.

Elsa then realized that she had a great time with the English prince. It may have only been as friends, but she really enjoyed having Edmund's company. He was graceful, polite, and such a kind, humble gentleman. She was beginning to wonder what would happen if they did end up dating later on.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The figure that had confronted the royal family of Arendelle earlier was standing on top of a mountain outside of the kingdom. He gazed upon the snowy land before him. As the figure stared, he was clutching a dark red great sword in one of his hands, which was referred to as Brutality Gaziniblade. On the back of him was a bow known as Eztli Deathbow.

A man appeared before him.

"Boss, everyone is here now. No one is in Arendelle's dungeon anymore."

The figure grinned maliciously. "Perfect. We shall take an entirely different approach that no one will see coming."

"What shall we do with the guests that are staying there right now?"

The hooded figure wrenched at the mention of the guests. He was once best friends with one of them. Now he was to make him pay for what he did to him.

"Edmund, I can deal with myself. You and the other men can deal with Lucas and Stephen."

"As you wish, Boss," the man replied as he then left his master in peace.

The figure would do whatever it took to get his revenge on Edmund. Even if it meant threatening those he cared about most.


	12. Chapter 12

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 12**

Elsa and Edmund soon were back inside the castle in order for the English prince to warm up and dry off.

"I had a good time today, Elsa. Thank you," Edmund said with a beam.

"You're welcome. It was a great time, indeed," Elsa replied with a grin of her own.

"Would you like to do it again sometime? Since all we did was play in the snow today, I was thinking that we could look around the shops and get gifts for everyone," Edmund suggested.

"Yes. I would like that," the Ice Queen replied.

"Sounds like a plan. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to dry off and change into some fresh clothes. I'll see you later, Elsa," the English prince smiled and waved as he left to go to his guestroom. Elsa in return waved back with a beam.

The Snow Queen smiled fondly at how gracious and chivalrous the English prince was. She really enjoyed having his company. Elsa looked forward to spending more time with the English prince. However, she also reminded herself that they hadn't even known each other for a week yet. Elsa didn't know whether they would remain friends or if their friendship would eventually blossom into romance. Thus, she resolved the situation by reminding herself that one outing meant nothing. They really needed some time before they could officially make it romantic.

Anna eventually made her way through the hallway and upon seeing her sister, skipped over to her, smiling.

"Hey Elsa!" the princess greeted. "What have you been up to today?"

"I was just spending some time in the town with Edmund," Elsa replied.

"Oh! Did you have a good time with him?" Anna wondered.

"Yes, I had a wonderful time with him," Elsa said. She then added, "Nevertheless, we're just friends, Anna. Edmund and I have nothing romantic between us whatsoever."

"Come on, Elsa! Edmund is such a good man. He's very polite and breathtakingly handsome!" the princess teased with a wide grin.

The Snow Queen sighed. "Anna, listen to me. Edmund and I only went into town as friends. He made it clear that we were only going as friends. There is no way that I can fall in love with a man I've known for less than a week."

"At least you like him, right?"

Now the Snow Queen was beginning to become stern. "Look, Edmund and I are just friends, okay Anna? While he is a good man, we still barely even know each other. Please do not say that it is true love, because it's way too early to make that assumption."

Anna groaned, but knew that her big sister was right. The princess knew Hans for only one day, and while he may have seemed polite at first, he turned out to be a rancorous monster who cared about no one but himself. Anna was confident, however, that Edmund was nothing like Hans. The good news is that they've known Edmund, Lucas, and Stephen for more than one day. In addition to that, the guests haven't shown any signs of malicious intentions either.

"I will admit that Edmund is indeed a wonderful man and very handsome. It's just that I'm in no hurry to find a man to rule beside me," Elsa said.

Anna nodded in understanding. "I just want you to be happy, Elsa. Your happiness means more to me than anything."

The Snow Queen couldn't help but smile at that. "I really appreciate that, Anna. Seriously, I do. Nevertheless, I am not sure at the moment if Edmund is the right man for me. Maybe he will be in the future, but I will be patient and find out if he truly is in love with me."

"Okay! What did you and Edmund do while spending time in the town?" Anna wondered.

Elsa grinned as she began to tell her baby sister what she and the English prince did.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Upon entering his guestroom, Edmund saw his master training his best friend. The black-haired man smiled warmly at the sight.

Lucas was the first to notice Ed. "Hey there, Edmund! How was your time with Elsa?"

Edmund beamed. "Elsa and I had a great time. We walked through town and had an intense snowball fight after that."

Luc chuckled. "I can see that. Your clothes are all wet. Aren't you going to take a hot bath and get into some fresh clothes or something?"

"You read my mind there. I was about to do just that," Edmund replied. The English prince then turned his attention to his master. "How did it go with training Luc, Master?"

Stephen nodded in approval. "Lucas did quite well if I may say so. He has that same sky-high potential that you have."

"I am delighted to hear that Lucas did a great job. How was it being instructed by Master Stephen, Luc?" Edmund asked.

"Master Stephen is a great instructor. Not to say anything against the Captain of the Guards in Ostenda, but I think Master Stephen is the best teacher I've ever had," the Belgian prince stated.

Steph smiled at the compliment. "I am pleased that I was able to provide you with a teaching style that you could follow easily. Everyone has their unique method of teaching, and while some may follow it easily, others may not. I have a feeling that there are people out there that wouldn't exactly be able to follow my ways of teaching."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "That's true. You were easy to follow though. I appreciate how you explained everything in great detail. Everything made sense because of that."

"It makes me happy that Master Stephen was a great teacher for you, Luc," the English prince stated with a grin. "Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm going to take a hot bath and change into some fresh clothes."

"Take all the time you need, Edmund. Lucas and I will play chess while we wait," Stephen said.

"You two have fun then," Edmund replied as he went into the bathroom and closed the door, locking it as he did.

Steph and Luc then made their way to the chessboard in the corner of the suite.

"You play chess, right Lucas?" the brown-haired man asked.

The dirty-blonde haired man nodded. "I do. Although I'm sure I will not be able to beat you as you seem to have a lot of experience playing chess."

"I suppose there's only one way to find out," Stephen replied.

"That is true," Lucas stated as the two men began their chess match.

The chess game would last a lot shorter than Lucas thought. Apparently, he had underestimated how skilled at chess Stephen was. Despite getting defeated so quickly, Lucas admitted defeat with grace.

"Holy smokes! I guess I miscalculated how proficient you are at chess," Lucas praised.

Stephen merely shrugged. "Chess is a game of strategy. Because of that, I think playing chess has helped me not only train under Master Noah, but to become the mentor that I am today. The game has reminded me since I began training that it's always wise to have a strategy when fighting."

The Belgian prince nodded in agreement. "I recall the Captain of the Guards in Ostenda telling me that you must take into account any potential obstacles that might get thrown at you. Whenever a barrier takes place, you must be able to overcome it somehow."

"That is correct," the brown-haired man confirmed.

Lucas then got curious, wondering if anyone has ever beaten Master Stephen in a game of chess. "Have you ever lost in a chess match before?"

"Yes. The only person to have defeated me in chess is Edmund. When he was a kid, he could easily overwhelm anyone else he played against, even those who were much older than him. Eventually, when he was fifteen years old, London held a chess tournament that consisted only of the best two hundred fifty-six chess players in the world. I apologize in advance if I sound like I'm bragging here, but Edmund and I breezed through every round until we met each other in the championship round."

"I do not think you're bragging at all." The Belgian prince then thought of something. "Are you and Edmund both chess grandmasters?"

Stephen nodded. "We are. The only opponents that have managed to defeat either of us are each other. I was named a chess grandmaster shortly after I completed my training with Noah. At the time, the best chess player in the world was Prince Hugo of Kingsham in Sweden. When I was set to face him in the final round, I was nervous. Considering that I was only twenty years old at the time, I didn't think I could beat him. Despite how jittery I felt, Noah reassured me that I would do great, and that no matter what, win or lose, he would be proud of me for making it as far as I did."

"How did the match with Prince Hugo turn out?" Lucas asked.

"It was tense, to say the least. Everyone in Dublin, Ireland gathered around us to watch the game unfold before them. No matter what Prince Hugo and I did, we always seemed to anticipate each other's moves. Both of us couldn't come up with a strategy to try to get a checkmate. The match lasted for several hours as we tried to come up with something that neither of us would see coming," Stephen elaborated.

"You won in the end, right?" the Belgian prince wondered.

"I did. Everyone, myself included, were stunned that I had managed to defeat the best chess player on the planet. Hugo was speechless, unable to say anything at first upon witnessing his first defeat."

"At least he was a good sport about it, right?"

"Fortunately, he was. Hugo stated that I was officially a chess grandmaster for managing to beat him. The thing that surprised me the most, however, was what he said afterwards. He said that I was the future of the game of chess, and that he hoped that if anyone were to ever defeat me someday, he would be a great guy like me for showing good sportsmanship. Even though I was now the best chess player in the world after defeating Hugo, I never bragged about it, nor did I care about the title whatsoever. Having the grandmaster title is great, but I learned something very important from the experience. Noah told me that while winning awards and being bestowed titles were amazing, it was all about doing your best, no matter what. He also said that you must give it your all while simultaneously doing it the correct way."

Lucas nodded with a grin. "I would like to thank you for taking your time to share this with me. While I'm glad that there are amazing people out there, it pains me to know that not everyone will turn out that way."

"You're welcome, Luc," Stephen said. "What would you like to do now?"

"Maybe after Edmund gets dressed, I could watch you and he play a chess match? I'd like to see what strategies you guys use in chess," Lucas suggested.

"Certainly," the brown-haired man nodded with a thumbs up.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Kristoff was in the castle stables, spending time with Sven.

"How is everything going?" Kristoff spoke for Sven.

"Everything is great, Sven. The three guests are fantastic guys. I've managed to get along with them quite well," the ice harvester replied.

"That's good to hear! Are you maybe going to do something with them again?" the ice harvester spoke for his reindeer pal.

Kristoff chuckled. "Most likely. I was thinking that we could possibly do something together like we did with Edmund and Lucas. Hopefully we can have Stephen join us this time."

The ice harvester was thinking about when the two princes had gone with him to harvest ice. It was a great opportunity to know more about the two men. This made Kristoff realize that there were many great people in the world just like Anna and her sister. He wished everyone could be a great person, but Kristoff knew that not all people were bound to be good. Take Hans for example.

"Were you planning on harvesting ice with the guests again?" the ice harvester spoke for Sven.

"Since we already have enough ice to make it until next winter, it is highly unlikely we'll need to do it again while they're here. Maybe next time they visit Arendelle we can go ice harvesting again. It's a shame that only three people can fit in the sled including me," Kristoff said, thinking about how Stephen was unable to join them because of that.

"Are there any unique qualities about the guests?" Kristoff spoke for Sven.

"Well, they're all wonderful guys in their own right. Edmund, Lucas, and Stephen are all humble, smart, and polite. The guests are also incredibly strong. I'm sure that they are significantly stronger than I am. Some differences between them is Steph seems to be the most serious of the three. He doesn't smile as much as Ed or Luc, but he's still a good guy. I suppose it could have something to do with him taking his mentorship with Edmund very seriously. Another thing was probably the influence his own master, Noah had on him during his childhood. Noah did not tolerate failure, and I'm sure that might've turned Stephen into a more solemn individual."

"What about the other guests?"

"Edmund and Lucas have been best friends since they were children. They were elated to see each other again after having not seen each other in over a decade. Both men seem to have very good self-confidence, as Lucas is a very cheerful man who usually talks pretty fast. I'm not saying that he's smarter than Edmund because of that. It's just that it is who Lucas is and I have no doubt that Edmund is perfectly fine with it. Ed seems to be the kind of guy that only acts aggressively whenever the situation calls for it. It was only after that hooded figure Stephen was talking about invaded the castle that I saw any of the guests upset. Other than that, I haven't seen any of them angry or having a temper whatsoever."

"I'm happy the guests are nice."

Kristoff chuckled. "Yeah me too, Sven. I guess I should be glad that Elsa invited them over for Christmas this year."

OoOoOoOoOoO

After Edmund had his bath and got into some fresh clothes, he exited the bathroom.

"Edmund, Lucas would like to see you and I play a chess match and see what we usually do when playing," Stephen said.

"Of course! We still have plenty of time until dinner, so why not?" Edmund replied with a beam.

Stephen nodded with approval as he and his student made their way to the chess board. As they did their chess match, Lucas watched closely in order to learn any potential strategies that might help him improve his chess skills.

What the Belgian prince noticed was that Edmund and Stephen tried to take control of the center of the chessboard. He realized that it made a lot of sense to try to seize the middle of the board. Pieces in the center had much more maneuverability than pieces that were stuck in a corner.

The game between Ed and Steph went on for much longer than the match between Lucas and Stephen. As the match went on, the dirty-blonde haired man watched carefully; inspecting each move the two chess grandmasters made.

Edmund eventually won the match. "Checkmate," he replied.

"I've never seen a checkmate like this before. Seems we are learning new things every day, right Ed?" Stephen asked.

"Of course, Master," the English prince replied. "Now that our match has concluded, would you like me to show you some strategies, Luc?"

"Yes please," Lucas stated as the English prince prepared to explain how he and his master approached each match of chess.

"As you may have noticed, Master Stephen and I were attempting to seize the center of the chessboard." He grabbed the white knight pieces and placed one in a corner, the other toward the center of the board. "For example, when a knight is in a corner, you only have two options to where you can move it. When it's near the center, however, you have up to eight different squares that you can move the knight to."

"Having pieces like that near the center allows for more flexibility, based on what my father told me," Lucas said.

"Exactly. That way you have a greater chance at capturing a key piece of your opponent," Edmund explained. "A key first move is to move one of the pawns that are closest to the center of the board. This opens pathways for the more powerful pieces to get into battle for the central portion of the board."

Lucas nodded in understanding as he listened to his best friend.

"Good chess strategy is playing each piece once to its best square, developing them all in turn, and moving your chess pieces off from where they begin. You want to get your pieces into the game as rapidly as possible and get them to where they can accomplish something, whether it's aiding your attack or defense of the center. Seldom will you move the same piece more than once in the chess opening."

"Makes sense."

"Another important strategy is keeping your king safe, so castle early and get him behind your wing pawns. Castling is a great way to safeguard your king from any sudden chess tactics and even checkmate. It gets the king away from the center and develops one of your rooks at the same time. This is a top-level chess strategy," Edmund elaborated.

"When it comes to the pawns, it is wise to only advance one or two pawns. Moving too many pawns can weaken your defense and result in losing many key pieces early."

Lucas nodded.

"One last thing that is a great strategy in chess is to make threats when developing pieces and try to limit your opponent's freedom of choice."

The Belgian prince nodded. "I thank you for taking the time to help me understand chess better Edmund."

"Of course, Lucas," Edmund replied before noticing the sky outside. "It looks like it's almost dinner time now."

"Maybe we should head to the Great Hall now," Stephen suggested.

"Yeah let's do it," Edmund replied as the three guests made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.


	13. Chapter 13

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 13**

After the royals had dinner and dessert, Edmund approached Elsa as everyone left the Great Hall. "Excuse me, Elsa? Since Master Stephen has already demonstrated his piano playing skills, I was wondering if I could showcase mine?"

The Snow Queen nodded at the suggestion. "Of course, Ed."

Elsa and the English prince made their way to the ballroom. Upon reaching their destination, Ed prepared himself to play the piano. Before he began, he asked, "Is there any piece in particular you would like me to play?"

The Ice Queen smiled. "You may play whatever piece you like, Edmund."

Edmund thought for a moment before deciding on Ludwig van Beethoven's Hammerklavier piano sonata. "I shall play Beethoven's twenty-ninth piano sonata. Since there are four movements in the piece, I will only play the first movement."

Elsa smiled as Edmund situated himself at the piano and began to play. Just like his master, the Snow Queen noticed that the facial expressions of the English prince remained the same. The black-haired prince had a face that seemed like it was expressionless. Despite the lack of facial expressions, Edmund poured emotion into his fingers as he flawlessly performed the piece.

The Ice Queen also noticed that despite being much younger than Stephen, Edmund put on a spectacular display. Ed's performance took about eleven minutes to perform.

Once the English prince had concluded, Elsa was speechless. Edmund's exquisite performance was just as good as Stephen's if not better.

"What did you think, Elsa?" Edmund asked.

"You and Stephen are two of the best pianists I've ever met. It's honestly impossible to tell which one of you gentlemen is better at the piano," Elsa replied.

"I take it you enjoyed it, right?" the English prince wondered.

"Very much so," the Snow Queen replied with a beam. "I'm thinking that you and Stephen should have a concert someday."

Edmund grinned at the praise Elsa was giving him. "Master Stephen and I have considered it since we take not only our training very seriously, but the piano as well. He and I both can play the piano for hours without stopping. It's just that our training hasn't allowed for any concerts to come to fruition."

"It's a shame that you and Stephen haven't shown your piano skills to the world. Everyone would love your performances," Elsa said.

"Well, since Master Stephen and I only train for about two hours every day, I'll have to talk to him about it since we now have a lot more time on our hands than we did before."

"At least you still train enough to keep your skills keen, right?"

Edmund nodded. "Yes. It was after I had mastered every fighting style known to man that he finally found a way to greatly reduce training time while continuing to improve our skills."

"I'm happy that you have a way to prevent your skills from diminishing after all that work you put into it," Elsa said with a sigh of relief.

There was a moment of silence before the English prince broke it. "If I may ask, do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

The Snow Queen shook her head. "Other than having a meeting with the council in the morning, like I do every morning, I don't have anything on my agenda."

Ed mulled over what he and Elsa could possibly do tomorrow. "Would you like to go get gifts for everyone with me? I could use some insight into what would be perfect for your sister and the others here in Arendelle. You could also help me find just the right stores since I do not know the town as well as my home."

"Yes. I would like that," Elsa replied.

The English prince nodded. "Perfect. I was thinking we begin with a store of your choice tomorrow, and then I'll choose one, and so on."

"That's a good idea. I appreciate that you are thinking of everyone in the castle, Edmund," Elsa said.

"Of course," Edmund stated.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After the English prince had bid Elsa goodnight, he was in his best friend's guestroom. Lucas and Edmund were talking to each other.

"You really like Elsa, don't you?" Lucas wondered.

"I suppose I do, yes. However, it is still too early to let her know how I feel," Edmund said.

"I agree. Nevertheless, I think you should jump at your chance to ask her out once you see the opportunity," the Belgian prince suggested.

Edmund nodded. "There is also something else I would like to talk about in regard to that."

"Okay. What about it?" Lucas asked.

"Tomorrow will be the second time I spend time with Elsa. Am I correct?" Edmund asked.

"Yes. Counting today, tomorrow would make it twice," Lucas confirmed.

"I was thinking that after I spend a little more time with her, I take a step back and give you a chance to spend time with Elsa," Edmund explained.

The dirty-blonde haired man's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure about this Edmund? While I greatly appreciate you giving me that chance to inspire Elsa, won't you be upset if she were to choose me over you?"

The black-haired man shook his head. "I am absolutely positive about this. You may have said that I would be a good match for her, but I think you would be as well. While I understand that only one man can be her true love, I am beginning to think that one of us could possibly be the right man for her."

"I suppose that's what friends are for, right?" Lucas asked with a chuckle.

"Yes," Edmund confirmed with a charming grin.

"Since you had that snowball fight with Elsa today, what will you do with her tomorrow?" Luc asked.

"I was thinking we would do some shopping for gifts. Due to a great chance that I will get something for you, I would like to make sure that there is no way you can ruin the surprise," Ed stated.

"That's a good idea. You will not have to worry about me seeing my potential gift prematurely. I'll make sure to find something to do to keep me busy tomorrow," Lucas winked.

Edmund chuckled. "While I am unsure what Elsa and I will do after tomorrow, I'll figure something out. Did you have something in mind that you would like to do with her?"

Lucas thought about it. "I would like to wait until after you've spent more time with her first before deciding. That way we do not end up doing the same thing with her. We've both got to find some unique activities to do with her."

"You make a valid point there," Edmund replied.

"What do you have planned for after tomorrow with her?" Lucas asked.

"I was thinking of maybe taking her for a stroll around the town. Maybe even take her to a concert or something. Not sure what would be a better fit for her, but I will think of something," Edmund stated.

"Getting to experience a concert or even a play would definitely be something that I would consider doing with Elsa. Perhaps we should decide who will do a concert with her and who will do a play," Lucas suggested.

"In that case, I guess I'll take her to a play, and you can have her experience a concert?" Edmund suggested.

Lucas nodded in agreement. "If that's how you like it, then we shall have it that way."

Edmund chuckled. "Of course."

The Belgian prince smiled in return.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stephen was patrolling the castle once more. Upon finishing his dinner and dessert for the evening, he decided to give the palace one more lookout before going to sleep.

After he had concluded, Captain William was waiting for him. "I can't thank you enough for helping protect the palace, Sir Stephen. How can I ever repay you?"

Steph merely shrugged. "No payment will be necessary, Captain. I'm just trying to do the right thing and keep those I care about safe from anyone with nefarious intentions."

The Captain nodded in acknowledgement. "Once again, I'm very appreciative of what you have done during your stay here. I shall get to patrolling the castle now. Good night, Sir Stephen."

"Good night, Captain," the brown-haired man said, saluting the Captain, who returned the favor.

Soon the Captain was out of sight, disappearing down a hallway to check on how things in the palace were.

As Steph walked back to his guestroom, his thoughts drifted to Edmund. He remembered when his student was spending time with the Snow Queen during the day while Steph himself was patrolling the castle. Stephen was starting to wonder if Ed had developed a crush on Elsa. Having never had a girl himself, the brown-haired man was hoping that someday Edmund would settle down and find someone to start a family with. Steph knew that it was most likely too late to find someone, as he was less than one month away from turning fifty years old. The brown-haired man knew, however, that Edmund had an abundance of time as he was only twenty-two years old, barely coming up on his twenty-third birthday.

Despite Ed getting to do more leisurely activities than him, Stephen did not mind one bit. In fact, he was actually happy that the black-haired prince was getting to know more about the Ice Queen. Stephen had to admit that Elsa and Edmund would be a good match for each other. That is, if their relationship did go beyond a friendship. The brown-haired man hoped that it would eventually blossom into romance, but he knew that it would be unwise to get involved. He knew that Edmund could take care of himself and was smart enough to know what to do in an attempt to win Elsa's heart.

By the time the brown-haired man had reached his guestroom, Edmund was there, reading a book he had found in the castle library.

"Hello Edmund. Everything going alright?" Stephen asked.

"Yes, Master. Everything is going great," Edmund replied, setting the book onto a nightstand.

"I just finished patrolling the palace for the evening," Steph said.

"Was there anything suspicious, Master?" Edmund wondered.

Stephen shook his head. "Nothing to report. Captain William is guarding the castle now."

The English prince beamed. "I'm thrilled to hear that the figure and his men haven't invaded the castle again." His grin then faded. "Why didn't they bother trying to attack us again? Do you think they might be planning a different approach for next time?"

"It's hard to tell at the moment. Captain William informed me that the prisoners had escaped. There was not a trace of them to be found. I can't help but wonder if the teleportation abilities he has that you were talking about had something to do with it?"

Edmund nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so, Master. Perhaps he used his abilities to get every single one of his men in the dungeon out of there. This is beginning to worry me a little bit. Who knows what other abilities he might have besides teleporting?"

"I guess the only way to find out is for him to attack the castle again. Now that Lucas has had some training under me, he should be just as prepared as we are when he returns," Stephen said.

"I'm sure Luc will be just fine now that he's been shown the same abilities as us," Edmund replied. "Maybe we should change the subject to something a little sunnier."

Stephen nodded. "I was just beginning to think the same thing. Will you be spending more time with Elsa tomorrow or some other day?"

"Yes. We made it clear though that until we've known each other for long enough, we are just friends," Edmund stated. "Elsa and I were planning on going to get gifts for everyone in the shops around the town. Is there anything you would like for Christmas this year, Master? You will be turning fifty only a week after Christmas, after all."

The brown-haired man had to think about that. "I would appreciate it if you got me something. However, it will not be necessary, Edmund. I'm happy with everything I have right now as we speak."

"I know. That is why I am glad that you are my instructor. You're an easygoing fellow who doesn't ask for a lot."

Stephen smiled. "As you are as well."

Edmund grinned. "Even though you said gifts are not necessary for you, I'd still like to get you something. Turning fifty is a huge milestone. You're halfway to the century mark."

"Indeed I am. Nothing would thrill me more than for you, me, Matthew, and everyone in the Arendelle family to live long, happy lives."

"Same here. We will try, Master. Really, we will try. If I may ask, how old was Noah when he died?"

"Noah was eighty-six when he succumbed to a heart attack. This means that when I was born, he was sixty-six," Stephen said.

"I'm surprised that he was almost seventy years older than you. Why did he train you and not someone who was friendlier?" Edmund wondered.

Steph shrugged. "Noah was the best personal instructor at the time of my birth. Even though my parents were reluctant to have him train me due to his violent temper, they agreed to let him train me."

"Please tell me he didn't abuse you or anything like that," Edmund said, concern in his voice and on his face.

"As strict as Noah was, he never punished me physically. He just made me do something over and over again until I was successful if I failed to do it correctly the first time."

"You never did anything like that to me, Master. It pains me to know what would've happened had Noah been my instructor."

"He did apologize to me after I completed my training. Until then though, he very seldom chose to show the good heart he had deep inside of him. Only after he apologized did I realize that there was good in him, after all. Even with the harsh training I went through, he was never truly evil."

Edmund sighed with relief. "Thank goodness he wasn't an evil mastermind. I am glad though that you made amends with him before his death."

"Me too," Stephen replied. He then thought of something. "There's something I need to ask you, Edmund."

"What is it, Master?"

"Do you like Elsa?"

The question caught the English prince off-guard. "Lucas asked me that question earlier. I suppose I do like her. However, like I said earlier, it is premature to ask her on an actual date. After spending some more time with her, I plan on taking a step back to let Lucas get an opportunity to spend time with her."

Steph's eyes widened. "You would do that for Lucas?"

"Of course. I know that only one man can eventually be the right one for the Snow Queen, but I think Lucas should get his turn to try to woo Elsa. He is my best friend, after all."

"That's true," Stephen acknowledged. "The fact that you're willing to do that for Lucas says it all; you're loyal to those you care about."

"Well I try," Edmund said modestly. "Would you like to play another match of chess before we go to sleep, Master?"

Stephen nodded. "Yes please."

The two men went over to the chess table in preparation for their chess match.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Anna and Kristoff were in the princess' room, spending time with each other. After Kristoff felt like he had managed to spend enough time with his reindeer pal, he decided to see what his girlfriend was up to.

"How was your day, Anna? Did you do anything?" Kristoff asked.

"Oh, I just relaxed all day. Once Elsa was done with her meeting, she spent some time in the town with Edmund," Anna replied.

"How did that go? Elsa told you right?" the ice harvester wondered.

"Yes, she did. Elsa said she had a wonderful time with Edmund," the princess smiled. "I think she's beginning to like him."

"Edmund is a good man; I have to admit it. I'm glad that he and the rest of the guests are doing whatever it takes to know everyone here in the castle better," Kristoff told her. "While I am happy that she had a great time with the English prince, I should remind you that the three guests haven't even been here for a week yet."

"Yeah I know. Elsa said that she and Edmund only went into town as friends," Anna replied.

"It's good to hear that the English prince didn't ask Elsa to marry him the day they arrived," Kristoff stated. "I know you would like your sister to be happy, Anna. As do I. However, only Elsa herself can know who the right man is for her. Maybe it is Edmund or Lucas, but for now, we should just let her take care of the situation she is in. Elsa can take care of herself."

"I know. That's why I'm glad to have her as my sister," Anna said. "It's just that I really hope Elsa will find the right man for her someday. She deserves to be with someone that will make her happy, as I am with you, Kristoff. You are the one for me, Kristoff Bjorgman."

The ice harvester grinned. "I'm glad I could make you happy, Anna. At first, I didn't think I would ever get romantically involved with someone. That is until I met you. You helped open up the world around me, and I realized that you and I have a lot in common. Upon the end of the eternal winter, I realized that people aren't nearly as bad as I thought they were. It also made me realize that we are a good match for each other."

"Ah, you're so sweet, Kristoff," Anna said as she leaned forward and kissed him. The ice harvester happily returned the kiss. Once they were out of breath, they pulled apart.

"I'm going to get some sleep. Good night, Anna," Kristoff said with a beam.

"Good night, Kristoff. I love you," Anna replied.

The ice harvester leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I love you too." Anna and Kristoff looked at each other lovingly one more time before the ice harvester left Anna's room to allow the princess some rest.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Little did Anna and Kristoff know that they were being watched. Outside the princess' room, in a position where they could not be seen, was the figure and one of his men. The figure was floating with his black jacket and hood swaying ever so slightly in the winter breeze. Next to him was his assistant, floating on a magical square that the figure had formed to keep him from falling.

"What do we do now, Boss?" the man asked the figure.

"We wait until tomorrow when at least one of the guests leaves the castle. Then we strike when the palace is not as guarded," the figure replied.

"Why don't we attack now?" the man wondered.

"Patience," the figured answered. "The castle is more guarded at night when the guards are patrolling the building. As I have told you and everyone else before, Edmund is mine. No one gets to touch him except me. Am I clear?"

"Crystal, Boss," the man replied.

"Excellent. The other guests I will be more than happy to let you attack. We shall inform the rest of the men about my plan. Tomorrow we strike the castle at noon."

"Yes, Boss," the man replied as he and the figure floated away unseen to return to their base on top of the mountain outside of the kingdom.


	14. Chapter 14

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 14**

Elsa came out from the conference room upon completing her daily meeting with the council. Outside the room, Edmund was waiting for her.

"Good morning, Elsa. I assume your meeting went well?" Ed asked.

The Snow Queen nodded. "Yes. The council and I were discussing how the kingdom will have enough food to last us through the winter."

"Arendelle has enough food, right?" the English prince asked with some concern in his voice.

Elsa gave him a reassuring smile. "The harvest went very well during the autumn. We'll be just fine."

Edmund sighed with relief. "I'm glad that the kingdom won't have to worry about any food shortages."

"Me too," Elsa replied. "Since you're the guest, I decided to let you choose where we go first in the town."

"Well," Edmund thought about it for a moment. "I was thinking of giving that café that Master Stephen mentioned a try since it's lunchtime now."

"Then that's what we'll do first," Elsa stated.

Edmund gave a charming smile. "I'm sure it will be great. Master Stephen told me that the food there is good."

The two royals walked out of the castle, toward the town. As they approached the town, Elsa could not help but notice Edmund's handsome looks. Her sister was right. The English prince was easily one of the handsomest men she had ever met. Lucas and Stephen were also breathtakingly handsome. Elsa knew that the three guests cared very deeply about their appearances, not only because they were royalty, but because they knew that they had to look presentable if they would like to have friends.

Upon reaching their destination, Edmund politely held the door open for Elsa, letting her enter first. He then followed her into the café.

Surprisingly, it was not as busy as it was the last time the English prince had visited with Lucas. Nevertheless, Edmund saw the owner hard at work making sure to get every order correct.

Once the two royals reached the front of the line, the owner smiled at seeing Edmund again. "Good morning sir! It's so good to see you again!"

Edmund grinned. "Good to see you too. If I may ask, what is your name, sir?"

"My name is Robert, my good sir. What's your name?"

"I am Prince Edmund of England," Ed greeted.

Robert's eyes widened in surprise. He had not expected a prince to stumble into his establishment. Upon noticing that he was with Elsa, he bowed respectfully, taking care not to hit his head or knock anything over.

"It is my pleasure to serve you, Your Majesties. What can I get for you two today?"

"I'll have the same thing as last time please?" Edmund said.

"Of course!" Robert exclaimed. "What can I get for you today, Queen Elsa?"

Elsa thought about it for a moment. "Could you excuse me for just a second please, Robert?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. Take all the time you need," Robert replied with a reassuring grin.

The Ice Queen turned to Edmund. "What did you get last time you were here, Ed?"

"I had a turkey sandwich with a green tea to drink," Edmund responded. "They were both really good."

"You know? I think I'll have that too," Elsa replied before turning to Robert. "I'll have the same thing as Edmund, except I'd like water to drink please."

"Anything for you, Your Majesty," Robert stated as Elsa and Edmund took turns paying for their food and drink. "I'll have everything done shortly," Robert beamed as he went to work on the royals' orders upon receiving the money.

Elsa and Edmund sat down and made themselves comfortable. The Snow Queen then thought of the figure and his men. She could not help but wonder if any of the townspeople have seen anything related to them.

"Have you seen that figure and his men since they attacked us?" Elsa asked.

Edmund shook his head. "I haven't. Lucas and Stephen said they have not seen any sign of them either. I'm beginning to think that they might be coming up with an evil plan to attack us again."

The Ice Queen nodded solemnly in agreement. "Do you happen to know what the group might be called?"

"I'm afraid not. The prisoners escaped without leaving anything behind," Edmund replied.

"Stephen told Captain William about that, and he said that his teleportation abilities might've been the reason why," Elsa said.

"Perhaps the figure utilized his abilities to teleport himself into the prison to break them out, and then used his abilities on his men to help them escape," Ed stated.

"Most likely," Elsa said in agreement.

It would not be long before the royals' orders were brought to them.

"There you two are! Is there anything else I can get for you, Your Majesties?" an employee asked.

"I'm good. Thank you," Edmund replied.

"I think I'm okay. Thank you," Elsa stated.

"Of course! Enjoy!" the employee said with a grin.

As the two royals ate their sandwiches, they continued to talk about the figure and his men.

"Do you think Robert might've seen the figure himself?" Edmund asked.

"Maybe. Once we are finished eating, we should ask him if he has seen anything suspicious," Elsa suggested.

"That's a good idea," Ed said in agreement.

Once the two royals completed their meals, they went up to the counter. Robert noticed them and approached the two.

"How was everything? Did you like it?" Robert asked.

Both royals nodded. "We enjoyed it a lot," Edmund replied.

"I'm happy to hear that! Is there anything else I can do for you two?" Robert wondered.

"Yes. Have you seen anything out of the ordinary as of late?" Elsa asked.

Robert shook his head. "I have not seen anything unusual since the frozen summer back in July."

"That's okay. Thanks anyway Robert," Edmund replied.

"Of course, Your Highness. If you ever need anything, you can come to me, and I will do my best to help. Should I notice anything odd, I will let you know," Robert explained.

"Thank you, Robert. I really enjoyed the food. I'll see you again soon," Elsa said with a beam.

"Anything for you, Queen Elsa. You and Prince Edmund be careful out there, and you both have a great rest of your day," Robert said with a grin.

"I appreciate the help, Robert. We'll see you next time," the English prince said as he and Elsa waved to Robert as they left the café.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stephen was patrolling the castle, keeping a close eye on any potential attacks from the figure and his men. The brown-haired man realized that it was after eleven o'clock. This meant that it was Captain William's turn to guard the palace.

He walked to the Great Hall. Sure enough, the Captain was waiting for him outside of it.

"I believe it is your turn now, Captain," Stephen said.

"You are correct, Sir Stephen. Enjoy your break," the Captain replied as the two men went their separate ways.

Before they could get very far, however, the hooded figure appeared in front of them with a malicious smile.

"Good morning, gentlemen," the figure greeted evilly.

Stephen and Captain William unsheathed their swords. "What are you doing here?!" Stephen demanded lividly.

"To destroy you, of course," the figure responded.

"Get out of the castle!" Captain William roared as he charged at the figure.

The figure disappeared as the captain attempted to drive his sword into him, reappearing and then sending the captain flying with a powerful punch. This in turn knocked Captain William's sword out of his grasp.

"Captain!" Stephen gasped as he rushed forward to help the Captain out.

However, the figure waved his hand at Steph, sending his sword flying out of his hands. Improvising, Stephen grabbed his bow from his back and began to fire arrows at the figure. Unfortunately, the arrows would simply vanish as soon as they struck the figure. The figure did not seem to be getting harmed in the slightest with each hit.

"Is that really all you got, old man?" the figure taunted as he got his own bow out to shoot Stephen.

The figure fired an arrow at Steph, who easily caught it with his hand before the arrow could strike him.

"I ask you again. What are you doing here, and what in the blazes do you want?!" Stephen shouted.

"What I want is revenge on your student, Edmund. For what he did to me," the figure replied with disgust.

"How do you know Edmund?" Steph asked in surprise as his eyes widened.

"You'll know soon enough," the figure responded with a death glare.

Captain William had recovered and retrieved his sword. He charged at the figure once more. The figure dodged the attack with little effort and sent the captain flying backwards. He then did the same to Stephen.

Realizing what the figure was trying to do, Captain William attempted to get up. Before he could, however, Steph flew right into the captain, landing right onto his left knee.

Stephen immediately leaped up and faced the figure with an exasperated look.

Captain William, however, remained on the ground, clutching his left knee.

The figure took notice of this and sadistically stated, "Looks like your precious Captain is hurting. Ha!"

Stephen turned around and gazed at the captain with concern.

"Don't worry about me, Sir Stephen! You must continue fighting him!" Captain William exclaimed, trying to stand up. With the amount of pain his knee was in, he was unable to do so.

Steph turned his attention back onto the figure, who was now clutching Brutality Gaziniblade in his right hand.

"You are going to pay for what you did to Captain William, you wastrel," Stephen said venomously.

"Let's dance," the figure replied mercilessly, twirling his great sword with his fingers.

The brown-haired man made sure to let the figure make the first move. If there was one good thing Noah taught him during his training, it was to not recklessly charge at your opponent when you have no idea what they might have up their sleeves. He simultaneously made sure to protect the injured captain.

The figure teleported behind the two men and began to bring his great sword down towards the helpless captain.

Stephen anticipated the move, swiftly turning around and managing to use his own sword to block the blow, saving Captain William's life.

Steph then swung his sword at the figure, who dodged it and tried to strike Stephen with his weapon. The brown-haired man jumped over the sword as it swung beneath his feet.

Once he landed, Steph lunged at the figure and tried performing a flying kick on him. The figure halted the attack and threw his fist at Stephen. Seeing what the figure was doing, Stephen hindered the attack. In response, the figure swung his sword at the brown-haired man, who ducked and rolled briefly on the floor before swiftly getting back up.

"I know Edmund is here in Arendelle with you somewhere. Where is he right now?!" the figure demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Stephen replied sarcastically.

"Wrong choice of words," the figure responded with another swing of his sword. Stephen dodged and tried to perform the same technique he did with one of his men in an attempt to get the great sword out of his grasp. Unfortunately, Stephen could not get Brutality Gaziniblade from the figure, despite not injuring himself in the process.

"Trying to do some tricks on me, I see," the figure remarked. "You've got to do better than that, old man!"

"That's Stephen, to you," Steph retorted.

"I know what your name is, scumbag. Die!" the figure furiously slashed his sword at Stephen, who merely dodged each swing or blocked the others.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Elsa and Edmund left the café. As soon as they closed the door, something caught Edmund's attention. He saw someone who had identical clothing to the figure's men walking by.

"Elsa, stay here and get somewhere safe," Edmund said as he began chasing after the man.

"Edmund, wait!" Elsa exclaimed as she ran after the English prince.

The man noticed Ed and began dashing through the town.

"You! Hold it right there!" Edmund called after the man.

"Catch me if you can, slowpoke!" the man retorted as they kept running.

The man had to be working for the figure. Edmund was certain about it.

No one could run as fast as the English prince. Aside from Lucas and Stephen.

Edmund sprinted through the streets of the town, taking care to weave through the area gently to avoid running into any petrified citizens he ran by. The man Ed was chasing, on the other hand, shoved people out of his way and tried to throw random objects in the English prince's path.

Edmund at one point saw the man throw a rolling barrel right at him. The English prince effortlessly jumped over the barrel and proceeded rushing after the man.

Soon the man darted into a house. Ed shook his head with dismay as he entered the house.

As soon as the English prince entered the house, he saw no sign of the man. Telling himself to remain alert, he searched the house, eventually arriving in the living room.

The man was gazing down upon the English prince, aiming his crossbow at him.

Edmund heard the click of a crossbow and swiftly gazed up, spotting the man armed with a crossbow. The man fired it, and Ed caught the arrow with his hand.

Seeing the English prince stop the arrow, the man turned and darted away from Ed.

Edmund resumed pursuing the man, hoping to catch him before he could hurt anyone.

The black-haired prince leapt up the stairs after the man. He then saw the man open a window and leap out. Reaching the window, Edmund gazed out, searching frantically for the man. He found him clinging to the side of another house in front of him. The man was sliding along the house, trying to lose Ed. Edmund then leapt out the window and grabbed hold of the house himself. The English prince glanced downwards and saw that it was a long way down. Thus, he knew he could not let go or else he could suffer a serious injury.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Edmund followed the man, who had lunged onto the snow-covered roof of a different house. The English prince swung himself onto the roof, darting past a chimney. The chase went from roof to roof, until Ed finally managed to catch the man atop a balcony. Edmund struggled with the man, until they both fell off and landed in a large snowbank.

Edmund seized his chance and pinned both the man's arms to the ground. "Talk right now, you scoundrel. What is the name of the group of guys that attacked the castle? Who is in charge of it?"

The man remained silent.

"I'm not going to ask you again," Edmund said dangerously, withdrawing a hidden dagger from his belt and holding it to the man's throat.

The noxious look on the English prince's face and feeling the cold metal pressed to his throat was enough to get the man to cooperate.

"The name of the group is Brotherhood of Darkness," the man replied anxiously.

"Who is their leader?" Edmund asked banefully.

"I don't know," the man responded.

Ed retaliated by squeezing the man's wrists, which made him gasp in pain.

"I swear I don't know! I've never seen his face!" the man shouted desperately as Edmund released his tight grip. The English prince still kept the man pinned, however.

"Let me get this straight. You've never seen what your master looks like outside of that black jacket and hood?" Edmund asked skeptically.

"Yes! Just please don't kill me!" the man pleaded.

"I'm not going to kill you," Ed responded. The man breathed a sigh of relief.

"That doesn't mean I can't do this, however," the English prince finished as he knocked the man unconscious with a swift, powerful punch.

"Edmund!" Elsa exclaimed as she finally managed to catch up to the English prince. "Are you alright?"

Edmund nodded, placing his dagger back on his belt. "I'm okay. Are you?"

The Snow Queen nodded before looking at the man Ed had knocked out. "You didn't kill him, did you?" she stated with a gasp.

"Elsa, he's not dead. He is unconscious. I finally managed to get the name of the group of guys he's in that follow the figure."

"What's the group called?" Elsa asked.

"They're called Brotherhood of Darkness, according to what this imbecile said," Edmund explained, gesturing to the unconscious man before them.

"What about the figure? Did you finally manage to see who he really is?"

The black-haired man shook his head with a sigh. "I'm afraid I still have no idea who he is. Even his own followers do not know who he is, apparently."

"What do you mean by that, Edmund?" the Ice Queen asked.

The English prince made another gesture towards the man before them. "I tried to get him to spill the beans and reveal the identity of the leader of Brotherhood of Darkness. However, he said that he had not seen his face. Thus, he did not know who he is," he explained before he began to realize something. "Oh no."

Elsa's eyes widened with concern. "What's wrong, Ed?"

"I think the figure is attacking the castle. We need to get back there now!" Ed exclaimed.

"Yes, we do. Before he hurts anyone," Elsa said in understanding and determination as she and the English prince rushed to the palace as fast as they could.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Lucas was in the library, reading a tome about the history of the kingdom of Arendelle. He was fascinated by the kingdom's earlier decades and who ruled before Elsa and Anna's parents.

As he continued reading, he thought he heard the sound of swords clashing against each other.

Setting the book back on the shelf, the Belgian prince opened the door and listened. He then heard yelling and the sounds of an intense battle.

Realization struck him as he began to rush to his room and grab his saber. "I've got to help Stephen out. That figure must be attacking him," Lucas said aloud.

Once Luc had his saber in his possession, his perseverance took over. He burst through the hallways, running faster than he ever had in his life. While he had no doubt Steph could hold his own, the figure's abilities nonetheless worried him. Lucas was not going to let anything happen to Stephen or anyone else.

Luc reached a corner, making sure to stay hidden. He peered around the corner and saw the figure slashing his sword at Stephen. The brown-haired man was masterfully dodging each attack. Lucas also saw Captain William lying on the ground, clutching his left knee. The dirty-blonde haired man presumed that the figure injured the captain. Luc gazed at Captain William's knee in concern. He knew that the captain needed medical attention as soon as possible.

What Lucas noticed, however, was that Stephen was slowly being backed up into a corner by the figure.

Deducing what the figure was going to do, the Belgian prince slowly and stealthily made his way out of his hiding place and crept up on the figure. He hoped the figure would not notice him.

Captain William noticed Lucas, and Luc held a finger to his lips. The captain nodded, making sure not to blow the Belgian prince's cover.

As the figure continued attacking Stephen, the brown-haired man spotted Lucas behind the figure. He pretended not to, however, knowing what the Belgian prince had in mind.

Steph did whatever he could do in order to keep the figure distracted.

The figure then waved his hand, nearly sending Stephen flying into a wall. As Steph attempted to stand up, the figure then stuck his hand out, immobilizing the brown-haired man.

"I tire of your arrogance, old man," the figure snarled as he approached the stunned man in front of him.

"You're one to talk," Stephen retorted.

"Shut up!" the figure responded as he moved his hand to silence Stephen. "Once I finish you off, Edmund is as good as dead. Then the rest of the kingdom will be next."

Unable to move a single muscle, Steph glared at the figure defiantly. He was not going to let the figure see any fear from him whatsoever.

The figure raised his sword high above his head, ready to decapitate Stephen. "Goodbye, Stephen. I thank you for the fun while it lasted. Now, the party is over," the figure sneered as he brought his great sword down.


	15. Chapter 15

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 15**

Before the figure's sword could strike Stephen, Lucas lunged in between the two and parried the blow with his saber.

"Fool! Must there always be some vile scoundrel ruining my plans?!" the hooded figure yelled in frustration.

"Excuse you. The only scoundrel around here is you," Lucas retorted, shoving the figure's great sword away from Steph.

The figure responded by swinging his sword at the Belgian prince. With his newfound abilities under Stephen's teachings, Luc rolled out of the way and threw his saber at the figure. The figure ducked out of the way and teleported behind Lucas.

Luc turned around swiftly and threw a punch at the figure. The figure caught the Belgian prince's fist and pushed him backwards.

Lucas recovered quickly and landed on his feet. He promptly got his longbow out and fired an arrow at the figure. The figure flicked his hand, sending the arrow back at the Belgian prince. Luc caught the arrow and threw it back at the figure, who caught the arrow and crushed it in his palm.

"Seems I was wrong. Edmund is not the only one I should be after. I'm after you as well for what you did to him!" the figure yelled angrily.

"What in tarnation are you talking about? I didn't do anything to Edmund!" Lucas responded, confused.

"Yes, you did! You turned him against me!" the figure answered while charging at Lucas and trying to strike him with his sword.

The Belgian prince jumped out of the way to avoid getting sliced by the sword. "Okay, who are you? How do you know Edmund? Do you even know who I am?"

"I know who you are. You are Lucas of Ostenda. Are you not?" the figure asked.

Lucas nodded. "Who are you? Show yourself right now," the Belgian prince demanded.

"You are in no position to tell me what to do, imbecile. Sooner or later you will know who I am, along with everyone else here in Arendelle," the figure stated. "Just wait until you see me at my utmost potential. You will not stop me or my men next time we strike the castle. Until we meet again," the figure closed with an evil laugh as he vanished in thin air.

Lucas stood still in his tracks for a moment before seeing that Stephen was freed from whatever was holding him still as a statue.

The Belgian prince rushed up to the brown-haired man. "Master Stephen! Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Captain William is injured though. We should get him to the castle doctor right now to see how severe his injury is. I really hope it isn't anything serious."

The two men dashed to the captain, who was still on the ground clutching his left knee. "Captain! Are you alright? What happened?" Lucas asked.

"As we were fighting the figure, he used his powers to shove Sir Stephen and I backwards. We were not able to control ourselves, and Sir Stephen landed right on top of my left knee. I can assure you that it is not his fault that I am hurt. The figure is to blame for this," the captain explained.

"I'm very sorry about what happened, Captain William. I feel horrible about your injury," Steph said with remorse and regret in his voice.

"There's nothing to apologize for, Sir Stephen. I know you did not mean to hurt me. Injuries are a part of life. Everyone gets hurt at least once in their lives. Besides, I have had my fair share of injuries over the course of my lifetime," Captain William responded.

Stephen nodded as he then turned to Lucas. "Luc, could you please help me get Captain William to the doctor? He can't walk on his own."

"Of course. Only the doctor can know whether it is just a little sprain or a major tear of something," Lucas said as he and Steph carefully got the captain to his feet. The two men then allowed Captain William to grasp the shoulder of both of them while he walked on his right foot to avoid using his left leg.

As they led the captain to the castle doctor, Elsa and Edmund ran up to them.

"Lucas! Stephen! Captain William! Are you three alright?" Elsa asked worriedly. "What happened?"

"Lucas and I are okay, Elsa. Captain William's been injured though. He needs help as soon as possible," Stephen replied. "The figure was in the castle attacking us. He's gone now."

Elsa nodded before turning her attention to the captain. "What happened Captain William? Where are you hurt?"

"I sustained a knee injury while we fought the figure. He shoved Sir Stephen right into me when he pushed us back with his powers. I can assure you that Sir Stephen did not hurt me on purpose. If there is anyone to blame for my injury, it's that hooded scoundrel," Captain William explained.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Captain. Stephen must feel terrible about it," the Snow Queen said sympathetically.

"I feel guilty for what happened. Captain William did not deserve to get hurt like that. No one does," Stephen confirmed.

"I agree with you in that regard," Elsa replied.

Edmund was concerned about the captain. He was hoping that Captain William's injury was minor.

"Are you alright, Master? Lucas?" Edmund asked.

Steph and Lucas nodded. "It seems that figure was more powerful than we initially thought. He had me immobilized and nearly ended my life. I'd hate to say what would've happened had Lucas not intervened," Stephen elaborated.

"That was very heroic of you to do that, Lucas. I thank you for saving my master's life," Edmund praised.

"Of course, Edmund. I have you and Master Stephen's backs no matter what," Lucas declared. This made Edmund smile. He was glad that his best friend was a selfless individual who would not hesitate to put his life on the line to keep the people he cared about most safe.

Once the group reached the castle doctor's office, Elsa knocked on his door. The doctor opened the door with a concerned look on his face as he bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty." He then stood back up. "Is there something wrong? Captain William looks like he got hurt," he said as he saw Lucas and Stephen helping the captain stand up.

"The figure that you might be aware of attacked the palace. While Captain William, Sir Stephen, and Lucas tried to fight it off, the captain suffered an injury to his left knee. We do not know how serious it is. Thus, we brought him here so you could examine him," Elsa explained.

The doctor nodded in understanding. "Bring him in here so I can take a look at his left knee." Lucas and Stephen obeyed the doctor's orders and helped the captain into the doctor's office. Soon they helped the captain sit down on the examination table.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Anna and Kristoff left the princess' room as soon as they heard no more commotion outside in the hallways of the castle. Their eyes widened when they saw Stephen and Lucas helping Captain William move along.

"That can't be good," Kristoff said.

"The captain seems to have gotten hurt!" Anna gasped.

The couple rushed into the doctor's office as the two men helped Captain William onto the examination table.

"Elsa! What happened? The captain appears injured!" Anna stuttered.

"He did get hurt. While the captain, Lucas, and Stephen were trying to fight off the figure, the figure shoved Stephen right into Captain William's knee. I can assure you that Stephen had no virulent intentions. He felt ashamed about what happened. The figure almost killed Stephen before Lucas stopped him from doing so. Thank goodness Lucas showed up when he did. Stephen might've been dead by now had he not intervened," Elsa explained with a distraught look on her face.

"Where is the figure now?" Kristoff asked.

"He left the castle right before Edmund and I arrived," Elsa said.

"What will we do now that Captain William is hurt? Who will guard the castle in case the figure comes back?" the ice harvester wondered.

Steph overheard the conversation and approached the Snow Queen and ice harvester. "I will have to patrol the palace and oversee the guards all day now."

"I appreciate that you're willing to keep us safe Stephen, but are you sure about that?" Elsa asked with concern.

Stephen nodded solemnly. "With Captain William down, I must step up in his absence. I can handle longer periods of time keeping lookout."

Elsa smiled. "Thank you for doing this, Stephen. You have no idea how grateful I am."

"Of course, Elsa," Stephen replied with a respectful bow.

As the doctor began to inspect Captain William, he began to ask the captain questions about his knee injury.

"When did the pain in your knee start?" the doctor asked.

"Immediately after Sir Stephen and I collided into each other," Captain William replied.

"Where does it hurt: the front, center, side, or back of the knee?"

"The side of the knee."

"Which side?"

"The left side."

"Did the pain begin suddenly after Sir Stephen crashed into you?"

"Yes."

"How would you describe the pain: dull, sharp, or achy?"

"I would say achy," the captain replied.

"Is the pain constantly there, or just now and then?" the doctor asked.

"It's always been there since the collision."

"Does movement increase or decrease pain?"

"Moving my knee makes it more painful."

The doctor nodded. "I will now run a few tests on you to see what is causing the pain in your knee."

"Not to rush you or anything, but how long will it take for the diagnosis?" the captain wondered.

"At this time, I'm not sure how long it will take. It may take at least a couple of hours, Captain William," the doctor replied.

"Do what you must, doctor," Captain William said.

"I will do my best, Captain. It is my job to help those in the castle that are sick or injured," the doctor replied sincerely. He then turned his attention to Elsa. "I would advise stopping by after dinner, Your Majesty. There is a good chance I will have a diagnosis by then."

"I shall do just that, Doctor. I'll see you after dinner," Elsa said.

"Will do," the doctor replied with a smile as the group left him with the captain to do his examination.

As the group walked, Edmund noticed that Stephen remained behind, standing outside the now closed door of the doctor's office.

The English prince walked up to his instructor. "Master, what's wrong?"

"I deeply regret what happened to Captain William, Edmund. What if it's an injury that takes a year or more to recover from?" Stephen asked worriedly.

"Master, I can assure you that the captain will be just fine. The doctor knows what he is doing. Until he confirms the injury, we do not know whether it is serious or not. I'm sure it's just a sprain or something," Ed reassured him.

"That's the thing. We have no idea how serious it is. What if it is something that he will never have a full recovery from? That would only make me feel worse than I already do," Steph stated remorsefully.

"Well, if that's the case, we need to ensure that Captain William has as smooth a recovery as possible. Until the doctor is done, we can only keep our fingers crossed," Edmund replied sympathetically.

"I shall be sending my prayers to Captain William then," Stephen said.

"Likewise," Edmund stated. "What will you do now, Master?"

"I shall once again patrol the castle. Now that the captain cannot guard the castle with me, I will have to keep lookout longer."

The English prince nodded. "Good luck, Master. If you need anything, you come to me or anyone else in the palace. You know we'll always be here to assist you when you need it."

"Thank you very much, Edmund. I shall let you know when I might need something," Stephen replied with a grin.

"Of course. In the meantime, I will go and read a book or something. I'll see you later, Master," Edmund said.

"Take care, Ed. If you see anything, do not hesitate to tell me about it," Steph stated.

"Yes, Master," the English prince responded with a beam as he and his instructor parted ways to get to what they were going to do.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Are you alright, Anna and Kristoff?" Elsa asked.

"Yes, Anna and I are just fine. Once we heard that the figure invaded the castle, Anna and I immediately went to her room and locked the door," the ice harvester said.

Anna nodded in agreement. "Kristoff thought it was best that we didn't get involved since the figure was wielding some kind of dark sword," the princess replied.

"I'm glad you two played it smart and kept each other safe. I cannot stand the thought of losing either of you," Elsa said with a sigh of relief.

"I can't lose you either, Elsa. You're the only family I have left," Anna replied as she and her big sister hugged each other. Kristoff and Lucas watched the scene with grins on their faces.

"Since I'm not trained like you, Stephen, and Edmund, I dread to say what would've happened had I been in that situation. For the figure to overwhelm Stephen like he did, I fear that I would've been dead had that happened to me," Kristoff told Lucas.

Lucas nodded. "I feel like the figure does have some sort of weakness. We just need to figure it out somehow. There's got to be a way."

Kristoff nodded. "I do feel kind of bad that I didn't help you, Stephen, and Captain William out. Maybe if I did the captain wouldn't have gotten hurt."

"You did the right thing by protecting Anna at all costs. That is what a good boyfriend does. He does everything to keep his girlfriend out of harm's way. I am not upset at what you did. You do not have to apologize for anything Kristoff. I am just glad that you did not put your life in danger when you had nothing to counter the sword that the figure possessed. We do not know for sure whether Captain William would have gotten hurt or not had you been there. What matters is that I was able to save Stephen, the captain is alive, and you and Anna are unharmed," Lucas elaborated.

"That's true," Kristoff acknowledged.

Once the two sisters were out of their embrace, they were looking at each other with caring looks in their eyes.

"What will you do now, Elsa?" Anna asked.

"I think I might go to the library to read a book. What about you, Anna?" Elsa wondered.

"Kristoff and I were planning on spending all day together, so I think we'll get back to that," Anna replied.

"You go ahead and do that Anna. I'll see you at dinner," Elsa stated with a smile.

"Bye Elsa!" Anna exclaimed as she went up to the ice harvester and began to drag him along. Elsa and Lucas could not help but gaze at the couple in amusement.

"Excuse me, Elsa?" Lucas asked.

"Yes, Lucas? Did you need something?" Elsa responded.

"I did. Is there anything you could suggest for me to do if that's okay with you?" the Belgian prince asked.

The Ice Queen thought about that for a moment but came up empty. "You can do anything you like, Luc. Though if I had to suggest something, maybe you could come to the library with me to read a book?"

Lucas smiled. "I'd like that."

OoOoOoOoOoO

The Snow Queen and the Belgian prince arrived at the library to see Edmund there, sitting in a chair with an open book in his hands.

"Hey, Ed. I noticed that your mentor stayed behind after the doctor began to examine the captain. Is he okay?" Lucas asked.

"He's fine. It's just that he feels bad about Captain William's injury and fears that it might be a serious enough injury that will be difficult to fully recover from," Edmund explained.

"I'm sure the captain will be okay. Until we know for sure, maybe we should get our minds off of it and read," Luc suggested.

"I think that's a good idea. Don't you, Elsa?" Ed asked.

"Yes. We should do something to forget about what just happened and wait until we hear word from the doctor," Elsa stated as she and the two princes made themselves comfortable and began to read.

The Snow Queen was sitting across from Ed and Luc. As she attempted to focus on her book, she saw the two princes diligently attached to their books. They looked so amicable as they were reading books about the history of Arendelle. Elsa also noticed just how muscular and handsome Edmund and Lucas were.

The Ice Queen scolded herself. She reminded herself to not think like that.

Soon she was able to get those thoughts out of her head by focusing on her book. Elsa was thankful that the two princes did not notice her studying them.

After reading for a while, Elsa walked over to a bookshelf and set her book back into its rightful place. Upon sitting back down, she decided to begin a conversation with Edmund and Lucas.

"Hey, Lucas? Edmund? What are you two planning on doing once you return to your respective kingdoms?" Elsa asked.

"Since we won't be leaving until April, my father is most likely going to plan a ball or something to celebrate my birthday," Edmund replied.

"Oh really? When is your birthday?"

"March 14th."

"How old will you be if I may ask?"

"I'll be turning twenty-three years old," Edmund said.

"Wow! You're older than me!" Elsa responded with a smile. "What about you, Lucas?"

"Probably the same thing as Ed. My parents will welcome me home with a ball or something like that," the Belgian prince said.

"When is your birthday?"

"February 8th."

"Will you also be turning twenty-three?"

Luc shook his head politely. "Not until the year after the upcoming year. I'll be twenty-two."

"That makes you a little younger than me. My birthday is December 21st, and I'll be twenty-two years old," Elsa said.

"Your birthday is coming up very soon," Edmund replied with a grin.

"Do you have any plans for what you would like to do to celebrate?" Lucas wondered.

"Not at the moment. I suppose I'll figure something out as it approaches," Elsa explained.

The two princes nodded in understanding, realizing that the Snow Queen still had time to plan out her birthday.

"It seems that we have quite a few birthdays in quick succession. Master Stephen's birthday is on New Year's Day," Edmund said. "He'll be celebrating a pretty big milestone, turning fifty."

Elsa's eyes widened in surprise. "Fifty?" She then beamed. "Then we must make sure it is a day he will never forget."

"I have no doubt that Master Stephen will really enjoy that. He's a very easygoing fellow, so he really doesn't ask for a lot," Edmund stated.

"It's honestly crazy to have at least one birthday for the next four months, including this one," Lucas stated with a sheepish smile.

"That is quite a few birthdays, indeed. Regardless of how many birthdays there are, we will ensure that everyone has a wonderful time," Elsa said with a determined grin.

"I greatly appreciate your willingness to help make my birthday special this year, Elsa," Luc replied gratefully.

"Me too. Thank you," Ed added.

"You're welcome, gentlemen," Elsa replied, smiling.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After the royals had dinner, they immediately went to the doctor's office. Everyone was solicitous to hear the news of Captain William's injury, especially Steph.

The door to the doctor's office opened, and the doctor cleared his throat. "Good evening, Your Majesties," he greeted. "I have figured out what has happened to Captain William."

"What is the extent of his injury?" Elsa asked with concern.

"Please tell me it isn't anything serious," Stephen added with deep concern.

"Given the circumstances and the scenario that Captain William described, it isn't nearly as severe as it could've been," the doctor explained. "With this information, I have diagnosed the captain with a grade two MCL sprain. He will need four to six weeks to recover."

"Will he need surgery?" the Snow Queen asked worriedly.

The doctor shook his head. "He will not need surgery. However, he will need crutches in order to get around. In the early stages of treatment, Captain William will need a weight-bearing brace or some supportive taping to prevent movement of the knee. Along with that, he will need to rest the knee, ice it regularly, and elevate it. Once the captain is free of pain, he will undergo rehabilitation to strengthen and stretch the knee and the muscles that surround it."

Elsa let out a sigh of relief that the captain's injury was not as serious as it could have been otherwise.

"I assume he will make a full recovery. Am I correct?" Stephen asked.

The doctor nodded. "As long as Captain William receives treatment every day, he will be back to full strength sooner rather than later. However, he shouldn't rush his recovery due to the risk of re-injury."

"I take it he won't be able to keep lookout around the castle while he recovers?" Steph asked.

The doctor sighed. "I'm afraid not, Sir Stephen. I am truly sorry about this, but even I cannot heal any injuries just like that. The captain will just have to endure it and let it heal naturally."

The brown-haired man had a repentant look on his face. He wished Captain William's injury never happened in the first place. Stephen felt that he could have prevented it had he not stood right in front of the captain while they were fighting the figure.

At least there was mild relief that Captain William would fully recover from the injury. Thus, Steph nodded. "Do what you must to ensure a speedy recovery for the captain."

The doctor responded with a nod. "I will do just that, Sir Stephen. This is my job, after all."

"May I see him please?"

"Yes, you may. Just make it brief please. I would like him to rest."

Stephen nodded gratefully as he carefully entered the doctor's office to see the captain lying down on a bed with a cast around his left knee.

"Hey Captain. How are you feeling?" Stephen asked.

"My knee still hurts, but not nearly as much now," Captain William replied.

"Thank goodness it wasn't a severe enough injury that you wouldn't recover from," Steph responded.

"I'm relieved as well that it isn't an ACL tear or anything like that," the captain stated.

"With you unable to guard the palace, I was talking to Queen Elsa about stepping up and patrolling the castle more while you recover. We cannot leave the palace devoid of protection after what happened today. I fear that the figure will unleash his full potential next time he strikes," the brown-haired man explained.

"Then you and everyone else must do whatever it takes to prepare and fight him without me," Captain William said. "I would like to thank you for stepping up in my absence. I've humbly appreciated what you have done during your stay here, Sir Stephen. How can I ever repay you?"

"No payment will be necessary, Captain. I'm just striving to do the right thing," Stephen said unobtrusively.

Captain William smiled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some rest. The doctor said I need to get plenty of rest until there is no more pain in my knee."

"You go ahead and do just that, Captain. I'll talk to you later," Stephen responded with a grin.

"Talk to you later, Sir Stephen. Good night," the captain said with a wave.

"Good night," Stephen replied as he waved and left the doctor's office before closing the door.


	16. Chapter 16

**I sincerely apologize for my recent absence. Since it was the last month of school, it kept me busy. Thus, I took a step back from writing to ensure I finished the semester strong. I just graduated from college and am now searching for a long-term job. Until I find that job, I have a lot more time on my hands to write. Thank you for your patience.**

 **I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, and Master Stephen.**

 **Chapter 16**

Outside the palace in London where King Matthew lived, the city had snow everywhere. It was a cloudy day in mid-March. Winter was almost over. Thus, there was not as much snow as there had been earlier in the winter. Along with the zephyr that flowed through the city streets, there were people out and about as well. Despite the chilly weather, everyone was eager, for that day was a special day for the royal family.

Inside the palace, a vibrant and excited six-year old Edmund ran through the hallways. He reached his father's room and ran in without even bothering to knock.

"Father! Wake up! It's my birthday today!" the young prince exclaimed.

The twenty-seven-year-old Matthew let out a tired sigh before he opened his hazel eyes and smiled at his son. "Happy Birthday, Edmund. How does it feel being six years old now?"

"It feels great!" Edmund said excitedly. "What do you think I will get for presents this year?"

The king chuckled. "I have no idea, son. Why don't we find out after breakfast?"

"Okay! Should I go wake up Master Stephen?"

Matthew was about to reply when Stephen appeared at the door. The thirty-three-year-old man had a rectangular shaped box in his hands. "I have been up for hours, Edmund," he said with a grin.

"Good morning, Master!" Ed greeted as he ran up to him. "Is that for me?"

Steph nodded before handing the box to the prince. "Happy Birthday, Ed." Master Stephen gently patted Edmund's head.

"I assume I have to wait until after breakfast to open this?" Edmund asked.

"Yes."

Edmund frowned slightly. Stephen only chuckled at the look on Edmund's face. "Hey, do not worry, Edmund. Breakfast will be over before you know it." He winked at the young boy before turning to his father and best friend, bowing respectfully. "Good morning, Your Majesty."

"Good morning Stephen," Matthew said with a chuckle. "How many times do I have to tell you? You do not need to bow before me nor call me Your Majesty. Just call me Matthew, or simply Matt. While it is customary that my subjects bow before greeting me and calling me Your Majesty, you are the exception, my friend."

"It will be done, Matthew," Steph said with a nod of approval.

"Did you get me anything, father?" Edmund asked.

The king beamed at his young son. "Of course, son. Not getting anything for you would mean that I am not being a good father."

"What are you talking about? You are the greatest father in the world!"

Matthew had to beam at the compliment. "Well I try. Anyways, I think we should head to the Great Hall for breakfast. We could really use the energy today."

As the young boy walked with his father and master to the Great Hall, any staff member they passed wished Edmund a Happy Birthday.

Upon reaching the Great Hall, the Grand Duke of England, Paul, was waiting for them. Paul was much older than Matthew and Stephen, having been Grand Duke since before the two men moved to England from Ireland.

After Matthew's arranged marriage with Isabella, he and Steph subsequently moved from Dublin to London.

The Grand Duke had a box in his hands. Paul deferentially bowed before the three.

"Good morning, Your Majesty, Sir Stephen, and Your Highness. Did you all sleep well?" Paul asked.

"We slept great. Thank you for asking Paul," Matthew replied.

"Of course," the Grand Duke responded before turning his attention to the young prince. "Happy Birthday, Prince Edmund."

"Thank you," the black-haired boy responded with a grin. "I assume that is for me?"

Paul nodded. "It is indeed a gift for you from me, Your Highness."

"I appreciate it Paul. My father and master said that I have to wait until after breakfast to open my gifts."

"Then we shall have breakfast so you may open your presents as soon as possible," Paul stated.

Once everyone was settled in their seats, the king carefully reached under the table and brought out a box. Matthew had put his gift for Edmund under the Great Hall table the night before. The prince's gifts were sitting next to him as they waited patiently to be served.

Soon the castle chefs came out with everyone's breakfast.

"Here we are, Your Majesties. Your favorite: scrambled eggs with vegetables, whole grain toast with chia seeds baked into it, assorted fruits, and mixed berry smoothies with assorted seeds mixed in," the head chef announced.

Ever since Matthew and Stephen met each other, Steph had taught his best friend how to have as healthy a diet as possible. He cared about his friend's health, along with everyone else he met. Nonetheless, Stephen, along with Matthew and Edmund, would treat themselves to chocolate and other sweets during special occasions. Birthdays were no exception.

"Since today is your birthday, Prince Edmund, we prepared the whole grain toast in a very special way," the head chef announced. The young English prince looked and noticed that there was cinnamon and sugar on his toast. While he did enjoy having that on his toast, Ed only liked to have it occasionally. He did not like consuming too many sweets.

"Thank you, chef," Edmund said with a smile.

"Anything for you, Your Highness, especially on your birthday," the head chef replied with a nod of approval.

The chefs then served Matthew, Stephen, and Paul their breakfasts. After thanking the chefs, the chefs bowed before returning to the palace kitchen.

An enjoyable silence soon followed as the four royals enjoyed their breakfast.

Once everyone was finished with their breakfast, the chefs retrieved their plates and silverware. They took them back to the kitchen for cleaning.

Now that breakfast had concluded, Edmund was excited to open his presents.

"Which one should I open first?" the young boy asked.

"That is entirely up to you, Edmund," Matthew replied. "You may open your gifts in any order you wish."

"I shall open yours first, father," Edmund stated.

"Then go ahead, son," the king encouraged with a nod of approval.

The young prince smiled as he opened the gift his father gave him. Inside was a quiver, full of arrows.

"Wow! Thank you, father!" Edmund exclaimed.

"You are welcome, my boy. Stephen and I decided that it is time for you to begin shooting arrows with the bow that you have had since you were born. Until now, Steph and I decided to wait until you were old enough to fire arrows. However, you will only use the bow and arrows under either mine or Stephen's supervision. The last thing we want is for you or anyone else to get hurt," Matthew explained.

"Okay father. Sounds good. I would not want to hurt anyone," Edmund said.

"I am elated to hear that you mean that, Edmund," Stephen replied. "Why don't you open my gift next?"

"Of course, master!" Edmund responded excitedly as he open up the gift he received from his instructor.

Steph's gift was a finely carved wooden sword.

"Holy cow! My very own sword!" the young prince said as he took the sword out and pretended to fight with it. "Thank you, master!"

"You are welcome, Edmund. That sword was carved by the finest woodcarver in the kingdom," Stephen replied with a grin.

"Now it is time for me to open Paul's gift," Edmund said as he opened the Grand Duke's gift.

It was a wooden shield.

"A shield! Thank you, Paul!"

"Of course, Your Highness. This shield was by the same woodcarver as the sword. I thought that having a shield with the sword would be a good combination," Paul said with a grin.

"A warrior must not only have a way to attack. He needs a way to defend himself as well," Stephen replied.

"I thank you guys very much for the presents! May I go try out the bow and arrow please?" Edmund asked.

"Not inside the castle, but for sure outside. We will go to an archery range so you can test out your bow," Stephen responded.

"Sounds good!" Edmund exclaimed.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Edmund, Matthew, and Stephen left the palace, surrounded by guards for protection. The young prince had his bow and quiver of arrows in his possession, along with his wooden sword and shield. Steph also had his bow and quiver of arrows.

A herald that was with them performed a fanfare before announcing, "Presenting His Majesty King Matthew, Sir Stephen, and His Royal Highness Prince Edmund! Today is Prince Edmund's birthday!"

The people of London cheered and clapped upon seeing their beloved King, his best friend, and his young son. Everyone was shouting birthday wishes at Prince Edmund as they went along the city streets. Ed really appreciated the residents remembering his birthday.

The two men and the young boy smiled and waved to the people of their kingdom.

Soon Edmund's attention was caught by a young girl about his age. She had brown hair, green eyes, and was bouncing up and down next to her parents. The girl was screaming, "Hi, Prince Edmund!" and waving wildly at him.

Ed smiled shyly and waved at her. The young prince grinned wider when he heard the girl shriek with delight. Then she was talking ecstatically to her parents as she pointed at him. Edmund was having a wonderful day, and that made it even better than it was already.

OoOoOoOoOoO

It would not be long before King Matthew, Sir Stephen, and Prince Edmund found an archery range. The archery range was one that Steph went to every day to keep his bow and arrow skills keen.

"There it is Edmund. The archery range that I have gone to every day since Matthew and I moved to England. Now it will be both of us shooting arrows," Stephen explained before reminding the young prince, "Once we get inside, you must do as the guy who owns the range and I say. We do not want you to suffer any injuries, especially on your birthday. Am I clear?"

"Yes Master," Edmund replied with a serious nod.

Upon entering, the owner of the archery range, James, bowed before the King of England, Sir Stephen, and Prince Edmund. "Good morning, Your Majesties. Are you here to do some archery today?"

"I'm not, but Sir Stephen and my son Prince Edmund are here to shoot some arrows. Today is not only my son's birthday, he will be learning how to use a bow and arrow for the first time today," the king elaborated.

"My word! Happy Birthday, Your Highness. For your birthday today, we will shoot in only our finest range," James said.

"Thank you, Mr….." Edmund replied, not yet knowing James' last name.

"Grant, Your Highness," the archery range owner answered.

"I appreciate it, Mr. Grant," the young boy stated.

"Of course, Your Highness. Are you ready to learn about archery?" James asked with a grin.

"Yes please!" Edmund exclaimed.

OoOoOoOoOoO

After James got all the required equipment for Stephen and Edmund, he began to instruct the young prince on what it took to become an archer. The group had selected a shooting range for beginners, as Edmund was shooting a bow with arrows for the first time in his life.

"I see that you already have a bow and a quiver of arrows. Thus, the first step is already completed," James explained as Edmund put an arm guard on his left arm.

"Does this arm guard serve as protection?" Edmund wondered.

James nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. It is always a good idea to wear an arm guard on the arm that is holding the bow. That way the string does not hit and injure your arm. A common mistake that a lot of archers make is not wearing the arm guards and injuring themselves after they fire their bows."

The young boy was gripping his bow with his left hand, his quiver of arrows on his back.

"One thing that you should never do is compare yourself to other archers, Edmund. The key is to be yourself and have your own shot. It is unwise to make any attempt to shoot like everyone else," Stephen stated. "Every archer can be great in their own right as long as they train daily."

"That makes sense. I do hope to be as good an archer as possible though," the English prince said.

"As long as you put the work in like I have, you will," Steph replied with a grin.

Edmund smiled before turning his attention to the target in front of him. He lifted his bow, imagining himself shooting an arrow at the target.

"I also like how you are standing, Your Highness. You are standing sideways, which is how just about every archer stands. This is due to it being the most comfortable and easy way to shoot a bow and arrow," James elaborated.

"Would standing any other way make it harder to fire an arrow?" Edmund asked.

James nodded. "Yes, it would make it very difficult to fire an arrow and hit the target you are aiming at. Ever since the bow and arrow came into existence, standing sideways has really been the only imaginable way to fire arrows with your bow."

"Okay!" Edmund exclaimed as he held up his bow. "Do I hold the bow like this, Mr. Grant?"

"Yes. If you would like to have a greater chance of hitting your target, you must keep your non-dominant hand straight. Otherwise, you are likely to miss your target if your arm is bent. Failure to keep your arm straight could result in the arrow falling to your feet or hurting yourself with the string."

Edmund nodded as he withdrew an arrow from his quiver. He placed it on the bow.

"How do I hold the arrow?" the young boy asked.

"The most common and most comfortable position to use when firing an arrow is to use three fingers on your dominant hand to pull the string back slowly: These three fingers must include your index, middle, and ring fingers," James responded.

The young prince carefully held his bow and arrow away from his face. He assumed that if he held it too close, the string would come back and smack him in the face. That was the last thing Edmund wanted to happen. Based on what James had told him thus far, getting hit in the face with the string did not sound like a pleasant experience.

"Another thing that helps with accuracy is to control your breathing. As you draw your bow back to fire, make sure you take calm, deep breaths in and out. When you are ready to fire, slow your breathing down and stop exhaling and inhaling for a moment," the archery range owner explained.

"That is what my master has told me. Breathing can help you focus better," Edmund said.

"Precisely," James confirmed. "One more thing before you fire an arrow at the target. Some people pick up a bow and are adept at it right away. However, that is not the case most of the time. To become a good archer, it will take a while. Patience, hard work, and dedication are some of the essential elements to becoming a master archer. I myself struggled shooting a bow and arrow when I first received one." James thought of something. "How old are turning today, if I may ask?"

"Six years old," Edmund replied.

"That's nice," James responded with a smile. "I got my first bow and arrow when I was about your age. My parents were not exactly fond of it, but after I promised to only use it under their supervision until I was old enough, they decided to let me become an archer."

"Cool! Did you bow and arrow look like mine?" the young prince wondered.

"Very much like them," the archery range owner replied with a nod. "Now, are you ready, Your Highness?"

"Ready," Edmund replied as he carefully drew his bow back, concentrating. He fired the arrow.

To everyone's surprise, the arrow landed dead center in the bullseye.

"Well done, son," Matthew praised.

"Thank you, father," Edmund said.

"Yeah great job, Edmund," Stephen stated with a grin.

"Thanks, Master," the young boy responded.

"Well done, indeed, Your Highness. A bullseye on your first shot! That is impressive, to say the least. It took me a while to get my first bullseye," James said with a nod of approval. "Let's see you do it again."

"Okay, Mr. Grant," Edmund replied as he withdrew another arrow from his quiver. He fired it and once again hit the center of the bullseye.

"My word! I have never seen anyone your age as skilled as you, Your Highness," James said, clearly impressed with the young prince. "Out of curiosity, are you right-handed or left-handed?

"He is ambidextrous, James," Stephen said.

"Oh wow. You are the first person I have ever met that is ambidextrous. Most people that come to the archery range are right-handed, with a few left-handers. Since you have equal skill with both your hands, why don't you fire some more arrows with your right hand before we try it with your left hand?"

"Sounds good, Mr. Grant!" Edmund replied as he continued firing arrows at the target while Stephen and James kept a close eye on him to make sure he had the right form and was holding the bow correctly. Matthew was also watching, making sure that everything was going well.

Surprisingly, they did not have to say anything about correcting the way he was holding his bow, nor his form. It was as if Edmund was a natural at archery. No matter how many arrows he fired, the English prince hit the bullseye dead center every time he fired an arrow. Stephen and James could not help but enjoy the dazzling display that the young boy was putting on before them.

"I have never seen anyone your age with such talent in archery, Your Highness," James praised. "Now that you have taken quite a few shots with your right arm, why don't we try using your left arm?"

"Okay, Mr. Grant," Edmund replied as he set down his bow before taking off the arm guard. He placed it on his right arm. Ed then picked his bow back up and grabbed an arrow from his quiver.

Upon firing the arrow, everyone saw that it hit the bullseye once more.

After the young prince had fired enough arrows to cover the entire bullseye, James was astonished. With how skilled the young prince was at archery, he was determined to help Edmund ensure that he continued to get better.

"You are the greatest archer I have ever seen for a six-year-old. Keep practicing every day, and you will be a master archer in no time," the archery range owner said with a smile.

"Thank you for making my birthday fun, Mr. Grant," Edmund replied.

"You are very welcome, Your Highness. Feel free to come here whenever your heart desires. All of you are always welcome," James stated.

"I would like to thank you for making my son's birthday special, James. This will be a day he will never forget," Matthew said with a nod of approval.

"Glad I could make his sixth birthday special, Your Majesty," James said with a respectful bow.

"Before we leave, may I show Edmund how I do archery? I feel like if he were to watch me that could help him learn some keys to becoming a successful archer," Stephen said.

"Of course, Sir Stephen. Which range would you like to shoot in?" the archery range owner asked.

"The hardest one you have, please," Steph responded.

"Consider it done," James said with a nod as he led the group to the most difficult section of the archery range.

Matthew and Edmund watched as Stephen prepared to show the young prince how good he was at archery. The young boy was eager to see how his master performed. He had no doubt that he would have a flawless showing, as Steph had been using a bow and arrow for over twenty years.

Edmund could only gape as Stephen managed to hit every single target in the bullseye dead center. No matter how fast the targets were moving, nor how far away they were, they all just seemed too easy for the brown-haired man.

"Wow! That was amazing, Master!" Edmund exclaimed.

Stephen merely shrugged. "Just a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience. One thing that I have learned is to apply yourself smarter in archery, not harder. At first, I shot hundreds of arrows a day. However, I realized that working on your form is more important. While I do still shoot a lot of arrows every day, I am always reminding myself to keep proper form."

Edmund nodded in understanding.

"Now that we have tried out your bow, would you like to try out your sword and shield, Edmund?"

"Yes please!" the young boy said excitedly.

Stephen nodded before turning his attention to James. "I would like to thank you for teaching Edmund how to do archery. Before today, he had only used a bow with no arrows. This was due to concerns that he would injure himself or others. He will only use the bow and arrows under our supervision until he is old enough to use them by himself."

"Of course, Sir Stephen. We will ensure that the Prince will develop his skills the right way," James stated.

"Sounds like a plan. We will see you next time, James," Stephen said with a wave.

"Have a great day, Sir Stephen," James said with a smile and a wave of his.

"You do the same," Steph replied.

Matthew approached James next. "I appreciate you taking the time to teach my son archery, James. We will be back soon."

"Anything for you, Your Majesty. Take care."

"You as well."

James smiled before looking down at Edmund. "You did a great job today, Your Highness. Keep it up. Happy Birthday."

"Thank you, Mr. Grant! Bye!" the young prince exclaimed as he and his father waved to James.

"You are welcome, Prince Edmund. Hope the rest of your birthday is wonderful," James replied with a grin and a wave of his own.

The two men and the young boy subsequently left the archery range. Stephen and Matthew were nothing but proud of Edmund for how well he did on the first day he ever fired an arrow from a bow.


	17. Chapter 17

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, Master Stephen, and anyone else you do not recognize from Frozen.**

 **Chapter 17**

Edmund, Stephen, and Matthew were back in the streets of London. As they walked and continued to be greeted by the fanatical residents cheering for their treasured monarchs, the ebullient young prince was thinking of something. He was hoping to find somewhere to try out his wooden sword and shield.

"Father? May we find somewhere for me to give my wooden sword and shield a try please?" the young boy asked.

"Of course, Edmund. We will look around the city and see if there are any other boys around your age for you to maybe spar with," the king responded.

"Thank you, father!" Ed exclaimed.

"You're welcome, my son," Matthew replied with a smile.

The two men and the young boy continued walking until they noticed a group of young boys playing with their wooden swords and shields. Surrounding the boys were young girls and their respective parents. As the young boys sparred with each other, the young girls cheered them on, while their parents made sure that no one got hurt.

Before they made their way towards the group, Stephen told Edmund, "I should let you know that I would like you to be fair with the other boys. Please do not attempt anything that will get you or anyone else injured. We certainly cannot have you getting hurt on your birthday, now can we?"

"No, Master," Edmund replied with a shake of his head.

"Good. Now go show the boys what you are truly made of," Steph said with a grin.

"Okay Master. I will make sure to take it easy on them," Ed stated.

"That's what I'm talking about," Stephen said approvingly as he gently patted on Edmund's head.

Upon seeing their king approaching them, the young boys ceased their sparring to bow respectfully. The young girls curtsied, and their parents also acknowledged King Matthew with reverential bows and curtsies of their own.

Edmund's eyes were on one of the girls. She had familiar brown hair and virid eyes.

Matthew took notice of whom had his son's attention and grinned. With an encouraging gesture from his father, the young prince approached her. Before Edmund got close enough to speak with her, he turned around to face his father and his mentor. The two men gave him smiles in an attempt to uplift the young boy. Ed grinned back before he made his way towards the girl. Upon getting a closer look at her, the young boy realized it was the same girl that had greeted him earlier. "Hey! Are you the girl from earlier?"

"I am! Hello Prince Edmund," the girl said with a smile.

"Hello. What is your name?" Ed asked curiously.

"I'm Jane," the girl replied as she and Edmund shook hands.

"Pleased to meet you Jane. If I may ask, how old are you?"

"Five," Jane responded.

"Nice! I am turning six today," the young boy stated.

"Happy Birthday, Prince Edmund!" Jane exclaimed.

"Thank you, Jane. I must say that it has been a splendid birthday today."

"I'm glad to hear that."

The young prince smiled. "I saw that you were watching the boys here playing with their wooden swords and shields."

"Yes. There is one boy named Richard who hasn't lost to anyone in a duel," Jane explained.

"Oh really?" Edmund asked with interest.

"Yeah. I think you should spar with him," Jane encouraged.

"I guess I'll try," Edmund said.

OoOoOoOoOoO

As the two children talked, the parents of Jane smiled at their daughter talking with the prince. They then turned their attention to King Matthew and Sir Stephen.

"It seems that your son Prince Edmund enjoys speaking with my daughter, Your Majesty," Jane's father said with a nod of approbation.

"Yes. He noticed your daughter as we were walking to the archery range. I bet my son waving to her made her day," Matthew replied.

"Jane was indeed very excited when your son saw her and waved, King Matthew," Jane's father stated with a grin.

"Edmund is a good boy who is always trying to be nice to everyone he is around," Stephen replied.

"Sounds like you and King Matthew have been wonderful influences on him, Sir Stephen," Jane's father stated.

"We try our best," Steph responded with a nod of approval.

"I do not think we have met before. What is your name, sir?" the king asked.

"My name is George Smith, Your Majesty." He then gestured towards his wife. "This is my wife Maria."

"It is a pleasure to be at your acquaintances, Your Majesty and Sir Stephen," Maria greeted.

"You as well," Steph replied.

"Likewise," King Matthew stated with a grin. "What do you do for a living, George?"

"I own the market down there." George pointed to a market down the street. The king and his best friend looked and knew exactly what George was talking about.

"Interesting. Do you enjoy what you do?" Matthew asked.

George nodded. "I love what I do, and I am sure you enjoy being King of England."

King Matthew shrugged. "Just trying to make sure I am the best king I can be," the king replied modestly.

"You know, you are the best king that I have ever lived under during my time in London. I like how you serve as a good role model to everyone here, especially the children," George said.

"Thank you very much for the compliments. Serving as an excellent role model can certainly inspire children to work hard and chase their dreams. As long as they put the work in and never give up, their dreams could become reality," Matthew explained. "How does it feel raising Jane?"

"She is a wonderful girl with the sunniest personality of any little girl in the kingdom. Jane is the sunshine of our family. I am proud to be her mother," Maria said fondly.

"I am thrilled to hear that Jane lights up your day no matter how you are feeling," Matthew said with a nod of approval.

"Me too," Maria replied. "What about you raising Prince Edmund? How does it feel to you raising him?"

"I am blessed to have Edmund as my son, as I am to have Stephen as my best friend. While I may be Edmund's father, Stephen is close enough to him that he acts as a second father to my son," the king stated.

"You sound like a nurturing and encouraging father, Your Majesty," Maria praised.

"Well I try," Matthew replied.

"Not only are you raising your son the right way, you are also modest and carefree. That is why I am glad you are our king," George replied with a smile.

"I appreciate that everyone here is so warm and welcoming and lets me serve them," King Matthew stated gratefully.

"Of course," George responded. "What do you do for a living, Sir Stephen?"

"I am Edmund's personal instructor. Ever since the day he was born, I have been training him in every fighting style known to man as well as every weapon. Until today, he has not used any weapons whatsoever. I wanted to make sure to wait until he was old enough so he would not hurt himself or anyone else by accident. Since he was a baby, I have made sure that he stretches and strengthens every part of his body daily. Now that he is six years old, I believe Edmund is ready to take that next step in his training," Stephen explained.

"That is a good thing to do. Teach someone how to defend themselves," George stated.

"Indeed. A warrior must not only have good offense, but great defense as well. When I began to train Edmund, I had the desire to be a better mentor than my own instructor ever was," Stephen elaborated.

"Sorry to hear that your instructor was not as good as you," George said sympathetically.

"It was not that I am better than him talent-wise. He was just a very hard man to please. Every time I messed something up, he snapped at me and made me do it over and over again until I did it correctly."

"He didn't sock you or anything, did he?" George asked, concerned.

Steph shook his head. "He only yelled at me. I guess it is better than being struck by him, even though neither one is a pleasant experience."

"It saddens me that you had to go through that, Sir Stephen."

"Once my training was complete, my instructor apologized for pushing me so hard and risking me getting serious injuries. He and I made amends with each other and reconciled. Even though he may have seemed evil, he truly was not like that at all. He always had a heart of gold, even if he rarely chose to show it."

"While it did sound quite rough for you, I am happy that you were able to make it up with him, and vise-versa," George said with a smile.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Edmund approached the boy he presumed was Richard, clutching his wooden sword and shield. He was a little taller than the young prince, with blonde hair and orange eyes.

"Who's next? Anyone want to challenge me to a duel?" Richard stated proudly.

"May I give it a try please?" Edmund asked.

"Are you sure you would like to face me?" Richard asked.

"Yes, I would like to face you," Edmund replied. "If that's okay with you."

Richard smiled and nodded at the young prince. "Sure! Show me what you've got!"

The two young boys entered a fighting stance, preparing for their duel with the wooden weapons. Edmund allowed Richard to make the first move. Richard attempted to strike Ed with his wooden sword, only for the young prince to effortlessly block it with his wooden shield.

Soon an intense sparring match commenced between the two young boys. The other children cheered them on. Edmund dodged another attempt from Richard to strike him, while Richard parried the young prince's swing of his sword.

"Come on, Edmund!" Jane cheered.

"Get him, Richard!" another one of the boys yelled.

The shields of the young boys slammed into each other. Edmund and Richard drew their shields back, trying to strike each other. Both their swords collided with each other. Richard tried to strike the young prince, and Edmund ducked under the sword that harmlessly swung over him.

With Richard still recovering from his swing, Ed took advantage and used his sword to disarm the blonde-haired boy. Richard's eyes widened as he saw Edmund pointing his sword to his throat.

Admitting defeat, Richard held up his hands. "Alright. You win."

"I have to admit, you really made me work for it. You are a good opponent," Edmund replied, lowering his sword.

"You are a good opponent as well," Richard said as he held out his hand. "I'm Richard."

"Prince Edmund," the young prince greeted as the two boys shook hands.

"Your Highness," Richard said with a respectful bow.

Edmund laughed. "You do not have to do that, Richard. While my father and I appreciate it when our subjects bow before us, you don't have to bow every time you see us."

"I take it that you will not have any issues with me just calling you Edmund, then?" Richard asked.

"Of course!" Edmund replied.

"As you wish, Edmund," Richard stated.

"Shall we do another match?" the black-haired boy replied.

"Yes, we shall," the blonde-haired boy responded with a grin as the two boys got ready for another sparring match.

After doing a few more matches, with Edmund winning each time, Richard's parents called him, signaling that it was time for lunch.

"Well, my parents are calling me, Edmund. It was great meeting you," Richard said with a smile.

"It was nice to meet you as well, Richard. Perhaps we will see each other again?" Edmund replied.

"Certainly. See you later Edmund," Richard responded with a smile and a wave.

"Bye, Richard!" Edmund exclaimed as he grinned and waved at his new friend, watching him run towards his parents.

The young prince then turned and saw Jane running towards him. "You won, Edmund!"

Edmund smiled shyly at the cute girl before him. "Yeah. I guess I did."

"Why don't I introduce you to my parents?" Jane suggested.

"Yes please," Edmund said as the two children made their way to where King Matthew and Sir Stephen were conversing with Jane's parents.

OoOoOoOoOoO

As King Matthew and Sir Stephen continued to talk with Jane's parents, the four adults noticed Edmund and Jane approaching them.

"Well, it seems that Jane would like to introduce Prince Edmund to us," George said, smiling.

"Then we shall let her introduce Edmund to you," Stephen said as he and the king talked with each other to allow Jane's parents to be introduced to the prince.

"Prince Edmund, this is my mother and father," Jane stated, gesturing toward her parents.

"You can just call me Edmund, Jane," Edmund said.

"Okay Edmund!" Jane exclaimed.

The young prince beamed before he looked up at Jane's parents towering over him. "Hello. I am Prince Edmund. You can just call me Edmund if you like."

"It is my pleasure to be at your acquaintance, Your Highness. My wife and I would like to wish you a very Happy Birthday," George greeted.

"Happy Birthday, Prince Edmund," Maria said with a beam.

"Thank you! What is your last name?" the young prince asked curiously.

"Smith, Your Highness," George replied. "While I appreciate you allowing my wife, Jane, and I to just call you Edmund, we must treat our beloved royals with upmost respect."

"Thank you, Mr. Smith," Edmund said.

"Of course, Prince Edmund," George said. "I own the market over there, as I told your father." Mr. Smith pointed towards a market further down the road.

"That's nice! Do you sell fruits and vegetables there?" the young prince asked.

"We certainly do. The market sells fruits, vegetables, and numerous types of foods that are commonly found in England," George explained.

"There's also various chocolates there as well!" Jane added in.

"Chocolate is something I enjoy very much on special occasions," Edmund replied with a smile.

"Me too," the young girl responded, smiling.

"What have you done for your birthday thus far, Prince Edmund?" George asked.

"My father and master took me to an archery range to help me learn how to use a bow and arrow. After that, we came here, and I met Richard. He and I sparred with our wooden swords and shields for a little bit," Edmund replied.

"Edmund defeated Richard!" Jane proclaimed.

"While that is true, it is nothing to brag about," Edmund stated with a shrug.

"Such a fine man you will become someday, Your Highness," Mr. Smith stated with a nod of approval.

"I will try, Mr. Smith. My father and master have been there for me every step of the way. I would not have it any other way," Edmund declared.

OoOoOoOoOoO

As King Matthew and Sir Stephen continued to talk with each other, they soon realized that it was lunchtime. Thus, they decided to take Edmund out to a restaurant of his choice.

The two men saw Edmund with Jane and her parents.

Once the king and his best friend were close enough, Matthew cleared his throat, which caught his son's attention.

"Edmund, I think it is time we have some lunch. We can go to whatever restaurant you would like, son," the king stated encouragingly.

"Okay father! Before we leave, may I say goodbye to everyone please?" Edmund asked.

"Of course," Matthew said with a grin as he watched his young son bid the Smith's farewell.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Jane," Ed said.

"Nice to meet you too, Edmund!" the brown-haired girl exclaimed as she shook hands with the young prince.

Upon finishing their handshake, Edmund turned his attention to the girl's parents. "It was nice to meet you today, Mr. and Mrs. Smith," the young boy said.

"Likewise, Your Highness. Hope you have a great rest of your birthday," George replied with an encouraging grin.

"Perhaps we will see each other again soon?" the black-haired boy asked.

"Of course, Prince Edmund," George said as he then turned his attention to the king and Sir Stephen.

"It was a great pleasure speaking to you, your wife, and your daughter, George. Jane seems to have made a new friend today," Matthew said as he held out his hand.

"Certainly. It seems that your son and my daughter will be friends for many years to come," George replied as he smiled and shook King Matthew's hand. Mr. Smith then shook Sir Stephen's hand. "Hope everything goes well for you and everyone else in the castle, Sir Stephen."

"You as well with the market. We will gladly stop by sometime," Stephen replied with a nod.

"Please do. You are always welcome," Mr. Smith said.

"I appreciate it," Steph said as everyone shook each other's hands and waved.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Matthew, Edmund, and Stephen were walking through the streets. As men of their word, the king and his best friend agreed to let the young prince choose where they went for lunch since it was his birthday. Ed chose to go to the kingdom's most famous restaurant, The Knight's Pantry. The Knight's Pantry served every kind of food one could think of. While they did serve English food, the restaurant also served many unique dishes from around the world. At least partially as a result of this, everyone in London loved their food.

When the three royals arrived, the host seated them at their finest table, which was a private room that was designated for the king and his family.

It would not be long before their server greeted them with a respectful bow. "Good afternoon, Your Majesties. How is everyone doing today?"

"We are doing quite well. Thank you for asking. Today is my son's birthday," Matthew replied.

"Happy Birthday, Your Highness!" the waiter exclaimed. "What may I get for you to drink, today?"

"I would like water, please," Edmund said.

"Of course. What about you King Matthew and Sir Stephen?"

"Stephen and I will have sparkling apple cider please," the king replied.

"Certainly. I will be right back with your drinks," the waiter said with a smile.

As the two men and the young boys looked over their menus, a question popped up in Edmund's mind.

"Father? Master?" the young prince asked.

"Yes, Edmund?" Matthew replied.

"Did you need something, Ed?" Steph added.

"Yes. I would like to ask you something," the young boy said.

"Certainly. What is it, son?" the king responded.

"Is it okay if I get anything I would like? I am just worried that there might be certain things that are too unhealthy for your liking."

"You may get whatever your heart desires, Edmund," Stephen replied. "While I have taught you and your father how to eat healthy, it is perfectly fine to treat yourself once in a while. Even the healthiest eaters will have an occasional slice of cake, bar of chocolate, or even other types of candy."

"Then may I have fish and chips please?"

"Of course, you may. Just let the waiter know," Stephen replied with a grin.

"Okay! Thank you," Edmund stated gratefully.

Soon the waiter returned with their drinks. After everyone had their drinks, the waiter asked, "Are we ready to order yet, Your Majesties? If not please take all the time you need."

"I think we are ready now," Matthew replied.

"Of course! What may I get for you today, Your Majesty?"

"I would like to have shepherd's pie please."

"Certainly. What about for you, Sir Stephen?" the waiter asked.

"As for me, I would like a vegetable pasty please," Steph requested.

"Of course," the waiter stated. "What about you, Your Highness? Which entrée would you like today?"

"I will have fish and chips please," Edmund replied.

"Certainly. Since you are the birthday boy today, we will prepare it in a very special way," the waiter said with a smile.

"Thank you!" the young prince exclaimed.

"You are very welcome, Prince Edmund. We shall get started on your lunches right away," the waiter stated as he went to inform the cooks of their orders.

As the two men and the young boy waited for their meals to arrive, they all took turns going to the restroom to wash their hands.

Once all three of them had clean hands, Edmund asked his mentor, "Master Stephen? As soon as our meals arrive, may I have some of your vegetable pasty please? I will give you a piece of fish in exchange."

"Of course, you may, Edmund. It is your birthday, after all. While I do not need anything in exchange, I thank you for being polite and thinking of others by sharing. They say sharing is caring," the brown-haired man replied with a nod of approval.

"After lunch, you can also choose any dessert you like as well," his father added.

"This is the best birthday ever," Edmund said with a smile.

"I am elated to hear you say that, Edmund. We hope that every birthday will only get better for you as you get older," King Matthew replied, grinning.

Soon their lunches arrived.

"Fish and chips for Prince Edmund, shepherd's pie for King Matthew, and a vegetable pasty for Sir Stephen," the waiter announced as he served the three their lunches. "Is there anything else I can get for you today, gentlemen?"

"Yes. May I have a word with you, please?" Stephen asked.

"Of course, Sir Stephen. What can I do for you?"

The brown-haired man walked up to the waiter and whispered something in his ear. Edmund watched his instructor say something to the waiter curiously. The young prince wondered what his mentor was doing.

Once Stephen had finished his request, the waiter beamed. "We can certainly do that for Prince Edmund! It will be out as soon as possible." The waiter then went back to the kitchen.

"Master? What did you tell him?" Edmund asked as Steph sat back down.

"It's a surprise," Stephen said with a smile as he cut some of his pasty and handed it to the young prince on a separate plate. Edmund then handed his mentor a piece of his fish that came with his fish and chips.

The three royals then sat in silence as they enjoyed their meals. Edmund made sure to have the fish before the fries as he learned from his father and mentor that you must have the most important part of the meal first. With fish and chips, the fish was the most important part.

Soon the royals were finished with their lunches. Not long after, other staff members of the restaurant, along with the waiter that served them, entered their private dining area cheering and clapping. The waiter that served them had a plate with a large slice of carrot cake on it. On top of the cake was a small candle that had been lit.

The staff then sang Happy Birthday to the young prince. As they did, Edmund sat there, a wide, grateful grin on his face.

When the singing concluded, the young boy blew out the candle. The waiter then jokingly asked, "Did you wish for carrot cake, Your Highness?"

"I guess I did," the black-haired boy said, causing everyone to laugh.

"Hope you enjoy the cake, Prince Edmund," the waiter stated.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome," the waiter replied with a beam as Edmund began to enjoy his carrot cake.

As soon as the cake had been finished and the food had been paid for, the three royals thanked everyone at the restaurant for making Edmund's birthday special and headed back to the palace.

OoOoOoOoOoO

That night, the three royals had a hearty dinner. After that, they had cake and ice cream for dessert. While the royals enjoyed having sweets from time to time, they eschewed from every type of candy except chocolate. Outside of chocolate, it was mostly cake and ice cream that the royals consumed for sweet treats.

It could not have been a better sixth birthday for Prince Edmund.

As he lay in bed, reading a book, his father and mentor sat beside him.

Once the young prince had finished reading a chapter in the book, he closed it and put it on his nightstand.

"This is a birthday that I will never forget. Thank you, father and Master Stephen, for ensuring it was the best birthday possible," the young prince stated with a grin.

"Anything for you, son. You only turn six years old once," Matthew said.

"Now that you are six, next up is seven. Am I correct?" Stephen asked.

"You are, indeed, Master," Edmund replied. "Not only was it a great birthday today, I made a couple of friends today."

"You certainly did. It is always a good thing to make friends with your subjects as you are going to be looking after them someday, Edmund," King Matthew stated.

"Will I really be a king when I am older, father?" Edmund wondered.

The king nodded. "You are heir to England after the sun has set on my reign. Once that day comes, the sun will rise with your reign."

"I will do my best to be as great a king as you are, father," Edmund proclaimed.

"Spoken like a true future king," Matthew said with a smile at his son's determination.

"I know you have only met them today, but I think Jane and Richard will be lifelong friends for you, Edmund," Stephen said.

"You really think so, Master?" the young prince asked.

"Of course, Ed. I met your father when he was your age. At that time, I was much younger than I am today," Stephen said.

"How old were you when you met my father?"

"I was eleven years old at the time."

"You told me once that you met in Ireland, right? That is where you and father are from originally?"

Stephen nodded. "Yes. Your father and I grew up in Dublin, Ireland. Dublin is the capital of the country. Maybe someday, we could go to Dublin and show you everything the city has to offer."

"Yes. I would like that very much," Edmund said with a smile. Then he yawned. "I think I'm getting tired. Time for me to get some sleep, I guess."

"You go ahead and get some rest, son. A man needs his rest, after all," Matthew said.

"That he does. Good night, father," Edmund said, grinning at his father.

"Good night, son. Sleep well," the king stated with a smile as he gently patted his young son on the head.

"Good night, Master," the young prince said to his mentor.

"You as well, Ed. We will see you in the morning," Stephen said with a beam as he patted the young boy's shoulder before he and his best friend left the prince's room to allow him some peace and quiet.

The young prince smiled as he closed his eyes. His sixth birthday was truly a memorable one. He hoped that next year would be even better.


	18. Chapter 18

**I would like to thank** _ **roxygoth**_ **,** _ **BurningFox6**_ **,** _ **krystal lazuli**_ **, and** _ **LukeJames**_ **for beta reading and helping me improve!**

 **Feedback is greatly appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen. Frozen is owned by Disney. I only lay claim to Prince Edmund, Prince Lucas, Master Stephen, and anyone else you do not recognize from Frozen.**

 **Chapter 18**

Eight-year-old Edmund was looking out his bedroom window on a warm, sunny, late June day. The young prince was smiling at what he saw below. Numerous tents had been erected overnight and multiple carts had arrived. People were milling about buying the various items displayed from this popup market that had appeared. They were all for a festival that his father was holding throughout the kingdom to celebrate his thirtieth birthday. While turning thirty was a huge milestone, London held a weeklong festival annually around the king's birthday. King Matthew had invited every kingdom to the festival. Due to the enormous size of the palace, hundreds of guests could stay in the castle at once. With how many kingdoms were coming to the event, Ed was delighted at getting an opportunity to potentially make some friends with fellow royals. He also looked forward to seeing Jane and Richard.

As the young boy continued to look at the scene before him, he heard a knock on his door.

"Yes?" Edmund called before his father and mentor entered his room.

"Good morning, Edmund. Breakfast is almost ready," Stephen stated.

"Are you ready for the festival, son?" Matthew asked with a smile.

"I am indeed ready for the festival father. However, I would like to have a full stomach before we head out there. With how many things there are to do and see, I will need as much as energy as possible," Edmund replied.

"That's the spirit!" the king said with a grin. "Just so you know, we do not have to do everything today. The festival will last an entire week. My birthday is on the second-to-last day of the festival."

"Sounds good father. What should we do first? After we have breakfast?" the young prince wondered.

"Maybe we could just go exploring for a little bit. There will be a lot of contests today starting at noon. Until then, we should see what the festival has to offer," Steph replied. "I bet there are contests for boys about your age."

"Of course, Master," Edmund stated with an approving nod. "I would like to participate in the contests if that it alright with you."

"You certainly may take part in the contests," the young prince's mentor smiled. "Why don't we head to the Great Hall and have breakfast? Once we are finished, we will go look around the festival."

"As you wish, Master," the young boy responded as the three royals made their way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Once the three royals entered the city streets, they were greeted by the effervescent atmosphere of the festival. Children were running around in excitement, and their parents were talking with their friends.

Anyone who saw the three royals acknowledged them with bows and curtsies.

Edmund, Matthew, and Stephen soon passed by a cart that was selling English pasties. Despite having just had breakfast, the three royals decided to get some pasties from the cart.

The merchant smiled as he bowed respectfully. "Good morning, Your Majesties. What kind of pasties would you like today?"

"I would like a vegetable pasty please," Stephen replied.

"You know what? I will have that as well please," King Matthew added.

"Of course!" The merchant then turning his attention to the young prince. "What about for you, Your Highness?"

"The same thing as my father and mentor please. You must eat your vegetables, right?" Edmund said.

"Certainly, Your Highness. I will have those pasties ready in a few moments," the merchant stated.

Soon the pasties were ready to eat. "Here we are! Three vegetable pasties." The merchant handed the pasties to the royals with plates and forks to eat them with.

Upon receiving their pasties and paying for them, the three royals found an area nearby to enjoy the pasties. The merchant wished the king a Happy early Birthday as they went to enjoy their meals.

After the three monarchs had finished their pasties and returned the plates and forks to the merchant for him to clean, they walked around the festival.

One of the tents they walked by had wooden sculptures crafted by the finest woodcarver in England. Deciding to check it out, Edmund, Matthew, and Stephen entered the tent. The woodcarver bowed upon seeing the three royals enter.

Numerous wooden sculptures were scattered about inside the tent. Edmund's attention was caught by some wooden figures. One of them was a warrior clutching his sword and shield. Next to it were numerous other figures such as a knight, rogue, archer, mage, wizard, axe man, and spearman. The young prince admired how much work the woodcarver put into every single wooden sculpture and figure in the tent.

As the young boy continued to look around the tent, he saw wooden weapons such as swords, scimitars, and axes lining the walls. There was a familiar blonde-haired boy also gazing at the weapons.

Edmund immediately recognized him as Richard. "Hello, Richard. Are you enjoying the festival thus far?"

"Hey there, Edmund. I am indeed having a great time. These wooden weapons are pretty cool, aren't they?"

The young prince nodded. "I have to admit that the woodcarver does a great job on everything he creates."

Richard nodded in agreement. "He certainly does." Then the nine-year-old thought of something. "Have you heard about any contests today for anyone of our ages?"

"Master Stephen said there will be contests for young boys. However, the contests do not begin until noon."

"Oh okay. Would you like to hang out with me until then? We could also try to find Jane so she can join us," Richard suggested.

"Yes please. I will ask my father and mentor if that is okay with them," Edmund replied as he went over to King Matthew and Sir Stephen.

"Father? Master? May I hang out with Richard please?" the young boy asked.

"Yes, Richard may come with us, my son. You have done a great job of not doing anything you are not supposed to do today. Please keep it up," Matthew said.

"We do not want any of you to get hurt," Stephen added. "Remember to look with your eyes, not your hands."

"Thank you. I can assure you that Richard and I will be just fine," Edmund declared.

"You're welcome, my son. Until the contests commence, we will take a look around the festival and do as many activities as we are able to. After that, we will return here and see if you would like to get one of the wooden figures," the king said.

"Will do father!" Edmund exclaimed as he went to get Richard to join them.

"They grow up so fast," Steph remarked.

"You can say that again," Matthew replied with a smile.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The two men and the two boys were strolling through the city streets, admiring the cheerful atmosphere before them.

"Will you be in the archery contest? There is an archery contest being held for boys age eight through eleven," Richard told the young prince.

"I suppose I could join the contest," Edmund replied before asking his father, "Is that okay with you, father?"

"I think that would be great for you to show how far you have come with your archery skills," Matthew replied. "In only two years since you began using a bow and arrow, you have come a very long way."

"I appreciate it, father," the English prince responded with a smile.

"Certainly, my son," the king stated with a grin of his own.

"I'm really good at archery. I bet that I will win," Richard stated confidently.

Edmund, staying true to his humbleness, told his friend, "Good luck to you, Richard."

Richard smiled as he and Ed shook hands. "Good luck to you as well, Edmund. The one who loses has to buy a treat of the winner's choice for them."

"You have a deal," Edmund replied.

Matthew and Stephen smiled as they listened to the two young boys making a playful bet with each other. With how well Steph had trained Edmund, he had no doubt that the black-haired prince would come out on top.

"Hey boys?" Stephen said.

"Yes?" the two young boys replied at the same time, turning their attention to Edmund's mentor.

"After the contest for young boys, there will be an archery contest for professionals," the thirty-five-old man replied.

"How old do you have to be in order to participate?" Edmund asked.

"You must be at least sixteen years old to take part in the contest," Steph responded.

"Ah that's okay. While I still have quite a few years left until I turn sixteen, I look forward to seeing how you perform in the contest," the young prince stated with a beam. Every year since his mentor was sixteen years old, Stephen had won the archery contest. The first time he did it after he and Edmund's father moved to England was when Steph was twenty-five years old. Prior to that, while living in Ireland, Stephen had already won nine archery contests consecutively. Now he was thirty-five, and he was going for his twentieth straight archery championship. With how many times he had won, he was thinking that it was about time for him to step down from participating in archery contests. Due to his uncanny ability to use a bow and arrow, Steph was considering letting someone else take the glory for the sake of being fair.

The four soon arrived at a cart with fresh fruits and vegetables. Edmund, along with everyone else, saw Jane there with her parents. Among them was another young boy with dirty-blonde hair and aurulent eyes. He was also accompanied by his parents.

The young girl spotted the four approaching and got excited at seeing Edmund. "Edmund!" she exclaimed as she ran over and hugged the young prince.

Ed was surprised for a moment, but nevertheless smiled and returned the hug. "Hello Jane. How are you doing today?"

"Simply wonderful! This festival is a blast!" Jane replied.

"I agree. It has been a fun day today," Edmund said in agreement.

Jane smiled before greeting Richard. "Hello Richard."

The blonde-haired boy smiled as he shook the young girl's hand. "Hi Jane."

Edmund was now looking at the dirty blonde-haired boy. He appeared to be a little younger than Edmund, as he was a little bit shorter than he was.

"Excuse me, Jane? Who is that over there?" the black-haired boy asked.

"I don't know. He seems really nice though," the brown-haired girl responded.

"Is it okay with you guys if I go talk to him?" Edmund asked.

"Of course!" Jane exclaimed.

"Yeah go ahead, Edmund," Richard encouraged. "Jane and I can talk to each other while you are talking with the other boy."

With their consent, the English prince walked up to the dirty-blonde haired boy. His sparkling golden eyes showed a lot of warmth from within him.

"Good morning. I am Prince Edmund of England. What is your name?" Edmund asked once he was close enough.

The dirty-blonde haired boy smiled as he bowed before Ed. "It is a please to meet you, Prince Edmund. I am Prince Lucas of Ostenda." The young boys subsequently shook hands.

"Pleasure to meet you, Prince Lucas. Where is Ostenda located?"

"Ostenda is in Belgium," Luc replied.

"Cool! What do you think of England thus far?" Edmund asked.

"I really like it. London is a lot bigger than Ostenda. My family and I greatly appreciate you guys inviting us to celebrate King Matthew's thirtieth birthday," the Belgian prince said with a grateful smile.

"Of course! If you are wondering who he is, he is over there," Edmund said, pointing out his father, who was speaking with Jane's parents by the produce cart, along with his mentor.

"Is King Matthew your father?" Lucas asked.

"He is. What are your parents' names?" Edmund wondered.

"My parents are King Arthur and Queen Victoria," Luc replied.

Edmund looked up at Lucas' parents and bowed. "Pleasure to meet you, King Arthur and Queen Victoria."

"It is an honor to have received your invitation to your father's birthday, Prince Edmund. We are grateful for the opportunity to help him celebrate turning thirty years old," King Arthur greeted.

"Seems you and Lucas are having fun talking to each other," Queen Victoria said, smiling.

"Yes. Prince Lucas is a good kid. We may have just met, but I already enjoy being around him," the young English prince stated.

"As I enjoy being around you, Prince Edmund," Lucas added with a pleased beam, appreciative of the compliment the English prince had given him.

"You guys may just call me Edmund, if you like," Edmund said.

"Then you may call me Lucas," Luc responded.

"Certainly," Ed replied with a grin. "How old are you Lucas?"

"I am seven years old. What about you?"

"I'm eight."

"Wow! You are older than me!" Lucas exclaimed.

"Only by a year," Edmund responded. "When is your birthday?"

"My birthday is in February. The 8th to be precise. When is yours?" Lucas wondered.

"March 14th. That makes you younger than me by less than a year, actually."

"That's nice! What do you like to do for fun?"

"When I am not training with my mentor, I love to play piano, read books, play chess, and go on adventures outside the city," Edmund replied.

"Sweet! I like to read books as well. What is your mentor's name?" Lucas asked.

"His name is Stephen," the English prince responded.

"That's a good name," the Belgian prince answered with a smile. "If I may ask, what does he train you in?"

"He trains me in every single fighting style there is, along with every weapon as well. However, my main melee weapon is a sword and my main ranged weapon is a bow and arrow."

"Sounds like a lot of fun! My weapons of choice are sabers and longbows."

"Nice! I have heard that sabers are like swords but are curved rather than straight. Longbows are basically like bows, except that they are roughly the same height as the user."

"You are very smart, Edmund. How are you so smart?" Lucas asked in wonder.

"Just hard work and dedicating yourself to certain tasks," Edmund said modestly.

King Arthur and Queen Victoria were enjoying the conversation going on with Edmund and their young son. They smiled, realizing that Lucas had just made a friend with a fellow prince. Not only were the two young princes eagerly talking to each other, they were also being polite and letting each other take their respective turns in speaking. The royals of Ostenda were pleased that Prince Edmund was like their own son; humble, modest, friendly, and intelligent.

OoOoOoOoOoO

The archery contest for the young boys was about to start. Edmund and Richard were signing up for the contest at the judge's table, accompanied by King Matthew, Sir Stephen, Richard's parents, Jane and her parents, along with Lucas and his parents.

"Do you really think I can win the contest?" Edmund asked worriedly.

"Of course, you will, Edmund!" Jane exclaimed.

"Hey," Lucas said, putting a hand on the English prince's shoulder with an encouraging smile. "You got this, Ed."

"Thank you, guys. I appreciate it," Edmund replied gratefully at the encouragement he was receiving.

After the judge had signed Ed and Richard up, he looked down at Lucas. "Will you be participating as well, young man?"

Lucas shook his head. "I am only seven years old, sir. Thus, I am not old enough to participate this year," the Belgian prince stated honestly. "Am I allowed to at least watch the contest?"

"Of course," the judge replied benevolently. He gestured for Luc and his parents to follow him. "Here. You and your parents follow me. That way you can have the best view by sitting right up front!"

As the judge and the Belgian royals went to their seats, King Matthew and Sir Stephen were trying to help Edmund keep calm.

"Good luck, son. Just focus on the target and forget about what is going on around you," the king stated.

"Thank you, father," Edmund said. King Matthew nodded approvingly at his young son.

"You win this contest, there will be a surprise for you later," Stephen said with a nod.

"Thank you, Master. I will try my best," the young English prince said with determination.

The archery contest soon began. Lucas and Jane watched closed as each boy stepped up, lifted their bows, pulled the arrows back, and aimed at their respective targets. Each boy was given three shots in an attempt to hit the bullseye.

Since the boys were young and did not have nearly as much experience with a bow and arrow as professional archers, none of the contestants before Edmund and Richard hit the bullseye once. Regardless, the audience applauded politely at the boys' attempts.

Lucas and Jane grew excited when Richard and Edmund had their turns. Richard went first. The blonde-haired boy notched an arrow, aimed, and released it. It hit the bullseye dead center. The audience cheered. Firing a second arrow, Richard hit the bullseye once again. More applause from the audience. The third arrow fired was the same result as the two arrows preceding it. Like the previous two bullseyes, the audience erupted with cheers and applause. Richard waved at the crowd with a grin before making his way back to his seat.

The Belgian prince and the young girl were suddenly anxious after the spectacular display Richard put on. Pressure was extremely high for the English prince. Luc and Jane knew it. Still, they held on to the hope that Edmund could answer with a stellar display of his own.

Edmund was the last contestant. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the bow confidently. Lucas and Jane looked around and saw King Matthew and Sir Stephen watching with confidence from the audience.

Lucas and Jane turned their eyes back onto the black-haired boy. He withdrew one of the arrows from the quiver, notched it, and fired. A perfect bullseye. The crowd cheered and clapped. Edmund calmly fired another arrow from the quiver and hit the bullseye again. Another round of applause from the audience. Grabbing the last of the three arrows, the English prince took a little bit longer than the first two arrows to fire the third. When he did, it hit the bullseye like the other arrows. The crowd went delirious. Edmund smiled shyly and waved at the crowd before returning to his seat. While he had hit the bullseye each time, the young English prince knew that it was not over yet. He had tied with Richard.

The judge stood up. "Well, it seems that we have a tie. The target will be moved back further."

After the judge moved two targets further back, Richard and Edmund were to only fire one arrow each turn. Even with the targets farther away, the two boys still hit the bullseye with ease. The crowd was getting more and more eager at the display the two young boys were putting on before them.

A winner would not be announced before the target was moved back several times over. The archery contest eventually went to Edmund as Richard got tired and ran out of gas at the end. Ed, however, was unusually strong for an eight-year-old boy and did not even feel tired after all that shooting.

The judge announced, "We have a winner! Prince Edmund of England!"

Cheers and claps erupted from the audience as the judge began to walk over to the English prince with the winning trophy in his arms.

Before the judge could reach Edmund, however, Richard intercepted his path. "May I give it to him please?"

The judge gave the blonde-haired boy a funny look before softening his expression. With a proud smile, the judge handed the trophy to Richard, patting the young boy on the shoulder.

Richard took the trophy delicately, not taking any time to admire it before he handed it to the young English prince.

"Congratulations, Edmund," Richard said with a smile, clapping Ed on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Richard. That was some fun contest huh?" Edmund replied.

"Sure was. I cannot wait to do it again next year," Richard said with a grin.

"Me neither," the black-haired boy responded with a smile of his own.

King Matthew and Sir Stephen, along with Jane, Lucas, and their respective parents, went over to congratulate Edmund on emerging victorious.

"You won, Edmund! Yay! You won!" Jane exclaimed.

"Thank you, Jane. It was certainly hard-fought with how well Richard did in the contest," Edmund admitted.

"Yeah. Richard sure gave you a run for your money there," Lucas replied.

"Yes, he did," the English prince stated with a sheepish smile.

Edmund saw his father and mentor approaching to offer their congratulations.

"Well done, Edmund. Marvelous job you did!" Stephen said with a nod of approval.

"Looks like you will be getting that surprise later today, after all," Matthew said with a smile.

"Ah I do not need anything else. This trophy is good enough for me," Edmund replied modestly.

"No really. I insist we give you that surprise later today. You will like it," Steph stated with a grin.

"Oh okay. Thank you, Master," Edmund said with a beam of his own.

"Of course, Edmund. Anyway, the archery contest for the professionals will commence soon. Let us head over there now, shall we?"

"As you wish, Master. I cannot wait to see how you perform in the contest," the young English prince replied as the group made their way to where the archery contest for professionals would be held.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Stephen signed up for the archery tournament, along with many other professional archers from around the world. Every year since he was sixteen years old, he won the contest every time not only in archery, but in other contests as well such as weightlifting, swimming, and running. Since he was going for twenty archery contest wins in a row, the brown-haired man decided that he should step down and let the other men get their chance to shine. While no one resented Steph's annual victories due to his amazing personality, the thirty-five-year-old man figured that it was only a matter of time before they did begin to feel bitter about it.

After every contestant signed up, Stephen approached the judge. The judge noticed him coming towards him and greeted, "Ah, Sir Stephen. Are you ready for the contest?"

"Yes. Before we begin, may I have a word with you please?" Stephen asked.

"Certainly. What can I do for you?" the judge wondered.

"Well, this is my tenth archery contest in England and twentieth overall since it all started back in Ireland," the brown-haired man explained.

The judge raised his eyebrows, sensing what Sir Stephen was about to say. "Are you saying that you would like to retire from participating in the archery contest after this one concludes?"

"Precisely," Steph responded.

"Well, it has been a lot of fun watching you put on a show in front of everyone, Sir Stephen. However, I completely understand that you would like to step down and let someone else take all the glory. That is very gracious of you," the judge said with a nod of approval.

Stephen shrugged. "Just trying to do the right thing, sir."

The archery tournament for the professionals began shortly after. Edmund, Richard, Jane, and Lucas, along with King Matthew, Jane's parents, and Richard's parents, had sat down in the front row to support Stephen. They all had zero doubt that Steph would emerge victorious with his twentieth archery tournament win in a row.

"This is going to be amazing," Edmund said.

"I agree. Just like how you won the archery contest for young boys, I know Stephen will win this," Lucas replied.

"I have no doubt that he will. He is the greatest archer I have ever seen," Richard added.

"Yay, Sir Stephen!" Jane exclaimed.

Unlike the young boys, the adult archers had many years of experience with a bow and arrow. Thus, they were striking the bullseye more frequently than the young boys did.

The audience was cheering, screaming, and whistling loudly for the men firing arrows at their targets. No one received more cheers than Sir Stephen, as he was the favorite to win the tournament. The brown-haired man was hitting the bullseye with no effort. He had his many years of archery training to thank for that.

The archery tournament for experienced archers had six rounds. Sixty-four archers were to begin, with half of them eliminated while the other half advanced to the next round.

Stephen breezed through the first four rounds of the tournament. Now it was the semi-finals. Only four archers remained. All of them were locked in, focusing on their respective targets. The four archers all hit the bullseye, requiring the targets to be moved back. Steph managed to hit the bullseye, along with another man. Unfortunately for the other two men, they failed to hit the bullseye, and thus were eliminated from the contest.

In the final, Stephen and the only archer standing in the brown-haired man's way of his twentieth archery tournament win in a row both hit the bullseye once more. With how far the targets were moved back, the range of the bows being used for the contest was approaching its maximum. It was only a matter of time before the targets were moved out of range of the bows.

The crowd could only gaze in awe at the performance the two men in the final were putting on. Both men were pushing the upper limits of how far a bow and arrow could shoot.

"You got this, Master!" Edmund cheered.

"Go, Sir Stephen!" Lucas shouted triumphantly.

"Win that trophy, Sir Stephen!" Jane yelled.

"Win this contest!" Richard encouraged.

The parents of Jane and Richard, along with King Matthew, were smiling at the children cheering Edmund's mentor on.

Eventually, the targets were moved back so far that it would be next to impossible to get a perfect bullseye.

The man that was still in the tournament along with Stephen fired an arrow. It barely missed the bullseye, and the crowd gasped. While only a perfect bullseye would win the tournament for Stephen, the brown-haired man knew that the door had been left open with his opponent failing to strike the bullseye.

Steph notched an arrow and pulled back, taking a deep breath in concentration. He fired the arrow. It cleanly hit the bullseye. The crowd erupted in cheers and claps for Sir Stephen. It was now twenty archery tournament wins in a row for the brown-haired man.

"We have a winner! Sir Stephen!" the judge announced before he handed the trophy to Stephen.

The judge then announced that Steph would be retiring from participating. Instead of getting upset, the audience instead went delirious, chanting his name and doing their best to give Stephen a proper farewell.

At the insistence of the judge, a retirement ceremony was held in honor of Sir Stephen. Steph modestly said that it was not necessary. Nevertheless, the judge wanted to make sure that Stephen's performances every year would never be forgotten.

The judge even decided to name the trophy after Sir Stephen beginning with the next archery contest the following year.

While Stephen was surprised by the applause the audience was giving him in appreciation for what he had done, he was pleased that the judge had decided to help him end his participation in archery contests on a high note.

Steph may not have been in archery tournaments anymore after that, but he still practiced with his bow and arrow every day to keep his skills keen. He also helped train Edmund with his bow and arrow, and gave advice to others wondering how Steph had become so adept at archery.

The brown-haired man realized that it was an unbelievable ride for him. Someday, he hoped that Edmund would follow his footsteps and become just as good an archer as he was.


End file.
